Howl
by flirtandflounce
Summary: CURRENTLY BEING REWRITTEN. LOOK FOR HOWLING. Damon Salvatore wanted her because of her blood. He kept her for other reasons... Damon/OC, Tyler/OC
1. Until We Bleed

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, the quote at the end is from "Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland" by Lewis Carroll. I don't own the Vampire Diaries, although I particularly wish I did.**

**It's been a while since I've posted on . But it seems like a good time to start again. I love this show! And of course, Damon. But for some reason, Damon and Elena doesn't sit well with me, and while Bonnie and Damon are my otp for the show (besides Stefan and Elena who are for sure soul mates fyi), I had this fun little plot bunny running around in my mind for quite sometime! I tried to keep Damon on character, and this isn't going to be one of those stories where he changes quickly and starts actually falling in love with the girl. While I know Damon is capable of love (e.g. KATHERINE), he doesn't seem to be doing so anything soon. I hope you enjoy this! And if you see any of those pesky errors, let me know!**

He watched as she fell to her knees in front of him. A seemingly painless movement, but it brought tears to her eyes. He almost felt bad for her, the tiny porcelain frame tumbling to the filthy ground, where he knew it didn't belong.

He'd been watching her for days. It didn't start like that, he didn't search her out on choice. No, he'd stumbled upon her, really. While lurking was one of his favorite 'activities', it didn't start out for her. No, it was the Katherine look-alike. He had been so obsessed, pondering how ever she looked just like Katherine. That's when he first saw _her. _She had been always around, never in the front of things like the Katherine-clone. No, she would be in the background, quiet.

But he knew better. She wasn't that introverted. She was thinking, watching them as he was watching her. Over the days, he became intrigued. It was as if she, much like himself, was learning and observing everything her peers were doing.

He had also noted she was uncommonly pretty. Not sexy, because he assumed she wouldn't wear anything more revealing than a sundress. But cute, beautiful, and extremely pleasant to look at. He could imagine her being the girl next door type, always there.

Observing her was only part of it, he wanted to feel her. He wanted to feel the warmth of her skin against his fingertips. And he wanted to smell the sweet scent he imagined lingering on her neck. But most of all, he wanted to taste her. He wanted to taste the sweet, pure, _virgin_ blood coursing through her veins.

He knew, of course he knew she was a virgin. She reeked of chastity. But in a good way, in a _very_ good way. His mouth watered for her. And he was just waiting to make his strike.

Now, before him she knelt. Her knees were filthy from the dirt she rested upon. She tried to catch herself with her hands, but she slipped farther onto the ground. He stood in front of her, his hands at his sides, waiting. She was panting softly and he could hear, no _feel_ the beating of her chest.

It had been her fault, wandering to him in the woods. In fact, he had nothing to do with her coming to him. She had found him all on her own. She was much too curious, and it would be the death of her.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you not to wander off alone?" he voice was velvety sweet, as he leaned forward slowly to bring himself closer to his prey.

She didn't move, and then to his amazement, started to push herself off of the ground. Normally he would have put her down in a moment, but he was baffled. He watched. Slowly, she pulled herself up in front of him and for the first time he saw her up close.

There wasn't a hint of terror in her eyes, rather they were a pool of twinkling blue, like the ocean. Her cheeks were slightly plump, and a soft natural shade a pink brushed across them. There was a tiny sampling of freckles dancing along her nose, which was small and thin. Her lips, pink with life, pressed together in a soft line. She wasn't anything he hadn't seen before. But there was something different.

For the first time that night, he noticed something different about her. Instead of her usual dresses and skirts and sophisticated tops, she was wearing dark jeans, a black jacket, and black boots. _Very _deceiving. And while it was step toward sexy, he preferred to see her otherwise.

He tipped his head to the side, admiring her beauty. "What's your name?" The question struck him, why did he ask such a question? Did it really matter anymore? Would he remember it after her body was six feet under the ground in the woods behind his house, drained of her blood?

"Alice," the phrase slipped from her mouth almost angelically, but he could sense fear in it.

He couldn't help but think of the irony of her name.

"Well Alice," he breathed, "this is just getting _curiouser and curiouser_."

**If you don't know, the quote above is from Alice's Adventure's in Wonderland, which also slightly inspired this story. I have to say, it's one of my favorite stories. **

**This is just a preview type for the rest of the story, so don't expect it to pick up right from here, we're going back in time my friends. Reviews would be PERFECT. Thanks everyone! I hope you enjoyed!  
**


	2. You're a Wolf

**Disclaimers in the first chapter! And a special thanks to OhxNo Its Zo, Random, TEARDROP, and MidnightBlack07 for leaving their reviews. You guys are all awesome. :) And also to those who favorited and don't review (even though you should! XD  
**

**Two Weeks Earlier**

Alice was bored. Bored and ignored.

She brought her knees up to her chin and rested on them. It was just another day in history class, in which the popular kids would coo and caw over each other, a fight would break out, and chaos would ensue.

Fabulous.

She wasn't interested in any of that, of course. They were all too immature for her. She didn't understand them. While they wanted to go drink beer and sleep with as many of the other hormonal bodies around them, she wanted to- well, she didn't know what she wanted to do. She just knew she didn't want to do _that_.

Alice also didn't want to go to church every day, which was what her parents wanted _her_ to do. It wasn't that she wasn't religious, or that she didn't believe in God. She did, and she was, but she was sick of them telling her what to do.

Her eyes wandered around the classroom, watching. She was always watching, overseeing her peers rather than joining in. Her eyes landed on a pretty, tall blonde girl. Caroline Forbes was scribbling furiously on a tiny white sheet of paper, looking positively ridiculous. Alice watched interestingly as Caroline wrapped the tiny paper up into a likewise tiny paper ball and toss it behind her in the direction of Elena Gilbert.

But instead of landing on Elena's desk, it fell onto the floor. Right at the feet of their teacher. Alice felt the corners of her mouth lifting lightly, and she knew Caroline was mortified, terrified, and completely in deep shit.

Their teacher, Mr. Lawson-or-something squatted down to her level. He looked right at Caroline, whose head was snapped completely forward, and lifted the piece of paper up. It was the first day of school, and Mr. L was just talking about passing notes in class. What a fabulous example. "Thank you Miss-?"

Caroline didn't answer. A rather good friend of Caroline's, Bonnie Bennet, leaned toward her and hissed, "Caroline! He wants to know your name!"

Caroline, finally getting the picture, turned her head slowly and said in her ditzy but condescending voice, "Caroline Forbes."

"Well Miss Forbes," he paused and unrolled the tiny piece of paper. Alice watched his hands move easily and untwist the piece paper perfectly, not tearing a sliver of it. "Do you mind?"

Caroline, suddenly terrified, yelled, "What? No don't!"

"Too late," Alice noted how rude he was. And that she was definitely not going to like him, even if he was mean to a girl she was annoyed by. He finished reading, tutted, and turned to the new student in class sitting a few desks behind Caroline. "It means Mr. Salvatore, that Miss Forbes thinks you are extremely handsome. Oh and Miss Gilbert," he turned to Elena. "she calls dibs."

The entire class broke into fits of laughter, and Caroline buried her head in her hands. Alice turned from staring at the girl (while chuckling herself truthfully) to looking at the new student, Stefan Salvatore. He wasn't laughing, but merely staring directly at Elena Gilbert. He was handsome, uncommonly handsome in fact. She noted his defined bone structure and almost melted. Elena wasn't even looking at him, but chuckling at Caroline.

Alice wasn't one of those girls, one of the Caroline Forbes' of the world. No, she wouldn't do anything like that. But she liked to notice. Which she thought was just about everything.

Being noticed.

---

That night, there was a party in the woods. Her friends, Divya and Amelia were begging her to go. "It'll be fun!" Amelia was telling her. How clichéd.

Alice caved, going over to Divya's to 'get ready'. For her, it meant sitting on Divya's bed while the two girls gossiped and tried on hundreds of outfits. Alice was happy with her usual outfit- a nice pink floral high-waisted skirt, a casual thermal long-sleeve white t-shirt, black leggings, black boots, and her favorite pea coat jacket. She left her long blonde hair the way she always wore it- straight and one side tucked behind her ear.

Divya and Amelia were finally ready two hours too late. Alice had tried to hurry them by saying, "Tyler Lockwood has probably already found a bimbo to spend the night with…", or "Matt Donoven is probably already getting over Elena with that girl from our English class…". But of course, with no avail, they simply ignored her or proved those statements false.

Alice loved her friends, she really did.

"Ready to go?" Alice sighed, nodded to Divya, and followed them out to Amelia's car. They all climbed into the pretty and brand new Range Rover. In a few moments they were at the woods. Mystic Falls was a small town.

Amelia linked arms with Alice, and Divya walked a bit ahead of them. Divya was going on and on about her little sister, who apparently had gone a little too far with a boy last weekend and her parents walked in on her. Divya was extremely disappointed her, a little too much, Alice thought.

The three girls were all in Celibacy Club together. Amelia was the president, always leading meetings and preaching to all the members about staying pure until marriage. Alice would sit next to her friend, nod like she agreed, and follow.

It wasn't like Alice didn't believe in waiting until marriage. She did, she really did. It was what God wanted, but it was also a sort of burden. Her parents were always pushing her to stay pure. They didn't need to. Alice hadn't even kissed a boy yet, and she was sixteen.

As they stepped through the woods, Alice felt a cold chill run through her body. She stopped, and looked around. "What's wrong?" Amelia asked, pausing with her.

Alice bit down on her lip softly and looked once again, seeing nothing but darkness and trees. "Nothing," she shook her head. "Let's go."

They continued walking, and they made to the campfire/bonfire/woods party. Amelia let go of Alice's arm immediately and started walking toward the rest of the party. Alice paused again, peering behind her, and continued on.

---

Damon was just wandering through the woods; thirty, hungry, and incredibly bored. He had been back in Mystic Falls only for a short while. He'd come back for something. Katherine. It was always Katherine.

But he couldn't even concentrate on his plan with his stomach rumbling so loud.

And that's when he happened to just _stumble_ upon a party. Full of tasty bodies.

He licked his lips.

---

Alice was just sitting there. Just sitting. How embarrassing.

It was driving her insane, sitting alone on a stupid log by the campfire while the entire place was socializing, drinking, and having a blast. She was that super unpopular kid that came to the parties just to feel like they belonged, when all they did was sit alone the entire time.

Taking the initiative to talk to someone would require her to pretend to be someone she wasn't. But she couldn't just sit there all night. She would actually drive herself to insanity.

Tucking her hair behind her ear, Alice pushed herself off of the log, luckily not getting her pretty skirt dirty. She paused, staring at the people around her, and then started to walk. She'd find someone she was friendly with in class. Have a superficial conversation. It wouldn't be perfect, but it was something.

As she made her way in the direction of Amelia, she was shoved aside by Tyler Lockwood. Alice, being the tiny and porcelain figure that she was, stumbled and landed on the ground with a thud.

"Oh shit, sorry. You okay?" Tyler, not the usual gentlemen, knelt down beside her and offered her his hand. "I'm a little drunk."

"I can tell," she said to him, hoping it would sound more comical then how she really meant it. She placed her hand in his and he lifted her up. "Thanks," Alice tried to stay civil, even though she quite detested Tyler and everything he stood for (and even though he was unbelievably attractive and sexy).

Tyler had history with just about every girl that attended their High School. Even Amelia, who Alice knew wasn't really as pure as she claimed to be, had hooked up with him once. He was notorious for being just _fantastic_ in bed. Or so she'd heard from countless girls in her physical education class.

Alice had spent some time with Tyler of the years, their parents were in some kind of Mystic Falls elite club type thing. All the adults would meet up and drink and schmooze and try to set their kids up together. Tyler even escorted a girl a year ahead of her to the Chastity Ball last year, in which Alice attended every year.

He was staring at her, and she realized he must have asked her a question. Raking her brain for what he could have possibly said, she shrugged, smiled and thanked him for his help. Tyler, scrunching his eyebrows together suddenly looked upset.

Alice wanted to ask what was wrong, but she was too shy with boys and Tyler didn't seem to be the explaining things carefully type. She'd rather avoid the subject all together. "Excuse me," she mumbled, looking at her feet and side stepping away from him.

She could feel his eyes staring into her back as she started to walk away through the woods. Everything was uncomfortable at that party, and all she wanted to do was go home.

---

Damon had lured some stupid brunette girl back into the woods, fed on her, and then left her body for her to wake up later. She wasn't anything special, she had a nice face and smoking body, but her personality made him want to tear her body into tiny pieces. No, he didn't think they were meant to be together. No, it wasn't fate that brought him there. Drunk girls were easy, but also way too annoying for his tastes.

He had stumbled on Katherine's look-alike again while finding what's-her-name. She was laughing with her friends, that perky blonde and the intelligent looking African American girl. He was intrigued by her, the way she looked exactly the same, and yet seemed so totally different.

After she had finished talking to some football jock douche bag who Damon recognized at being the descendent of the Lockwood family, she left with her friends. Damon had all been for following them and scaring the shit out of the girls, but something else caught his eye.

She was sitting, alone, on a log with her legs crossed daintly one over the other. He noticed she was wearing clean and crisp clothes, completely out of the ordinary for a bonfire party. She wasn't talking to anyone, but staring directly at a group of girls who were attempting to catch the entire of some guy across the party. Damon liked her.

The girl was eyeing them carefully, not showing any emotion on her face. But Damon could practically smell her distaste. She hated everything and everyone there.

And then came the smell of her blood.

It hit him like a truck.

It was so _pure_. Like babies blood.

His stomach lurched and he suddenly felt hungry again. In fact, he was _starving_.

"Damon," a voice startled him from his prowl, and the vampire turned around to see none other then his younger vampire brother standing behind him. He had his arms crossed over his chest, his eyes were narrowed.

"Oh hello to you too brother," Damon mocked, in a sing-song voice. He relaxed his shoulders and shoved his hands into the pocket of his leather jacket. Stefan glared at him and shook his head.

"I would ask you if you had anything better to do then stalk a high school party, but I know better."

"Ha," Damon fake laughed. "It seems as if your doing the same thing. Pining for Katherine still?"

"I think that's your department." Stefan shot back, tilting his head to the other side. "I was at the party when I noticed you creeping back here."

"Ah, a favorite past time of mine."

"What are you doing here Damon?" Stefan got to the point, obviously angry.

Damon shrugged, turned away and said, "Admiring the talent. I must say, it's a bit _lacking_. Except for the Katherine clone and that-" he stopped. There wasn't any need to tell Stefan of his latest prey. He would just protect the girl anyway. And Damon didn't want that. No, he wanted her blood, and he didn't need Stefan in his way.

"And what Damon?"

"Nothing, nothing at all." He turned, patted his stiff brother on the shoulder, and took off down the woods.

Stefan sighed and went back to the party.

**I know it's not much. And the ending was positively dreadful, but I think it sufficed. I hope. But I promise it won't be this slow going up to the scene from the first chapter. I just needed to set things up. And I'm sorry if things are out of character or seem off the shows time line. I'm trying, I swear! Reviews and favorites were awesome last chapter. I hope you guys can press that fantastic button down there and let me know what you think! If anyone cares, there's a story banner for this on my author page, which you can check out if you please. And you guys should really let me know what you think and any ideas for this. Because while I may have it planned, little things change it, which could be fantastic! Love you all!  
**


	3. Say When

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except a few things here and there.**

**Thanks for all the reviews last chapter again! You guys are all awesome! And I'm glad you don't mind it being a little off the timeline, I'm trying, really! Enjoy!  
**

**Five Days After Chapter 2**

Alice was staring at her reflection in the mirror when her mother walked into the bathroom. Alice looked much like her mother, they both sported the same classic blonde hair and thin physic. But not too thin, her mother wouldn't want them looking like they didn't eat. Because they could afford to eat. Not that anyone was questioning it.

"You shouldn't wear your hair like that Alice, it makes you look tired." Audrey, her mother, brushed her hand along the long strands of hair. Alice had half of it pulled back and was trying to curl the bottoms of the lower pieces.

Setting down the curling iron, Alice allowed her mother to take the clip out and let her hair fall down over her face. "There," said her mother, rubbing her hands down Alice's hair, "much better."

Audrey continued, "After your Celibacy Club meeting today your father would like you to have dinner with us and our guests." Alice lowered her head, nodded, and waited for her mother to leave the bathroom.

She waited, and yet Audrey lingered in the doorway, "You'd better not be this quiet tonight." With that, she closed the door violently. Alice bit her lip, trying her best not to show her emotions.

Alice paused in front of the mirror, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear and pressing her lips together insecurely. But wasn't that how she always did things? Was Alice able to be confident and cool in any situation? She'd like to think so, but she truly knew that wasn't right, because Alice was always worrying about what others thought of her.

Her father was one of the most conservative men she'd ever met, raising his daughter to be Queen of the debutantes and member of the Celibacy Club. He would go to work as a CEO of some smaller company, make his money, come home, have a glass of scotch and rave about how perfect his family was. Alice loved her daddy, even sometimes more than her distant and cold mother.

Her mother, Audrey was born into wealth herself. Audrey hadn't known what it was like to live in poverty and couldn't care less about people who did. If that wasn't enough to bother the truly philanthropic Alice, the fact that Audrey didn't pay attention to her at all was. Alice could walk through the door, tell her mother she received over a hundred percent on a challenging college level class, Audrey would simply nod and ask her why she didn't get more. It was a never ending struggle for Alice. It seemed as though attention had to be earned, not given because they loved you.

Which wasn't what Alice expected a family to be like.

She wasn't popular, but she wasn't a loner either. Girls like Caroline Forbes knew who she was, would talk to her nicely in class, but would never ask her to hang out on weekends. Alice had a few good friends, all approved by her father because of their also "wholesome" interests. They were in Celibacy Club with her, and belonged to the same church as well.

Alice liked them, she really did. But she wished she had something else. She was so complacent. Alice felt like she was stuck in the same place. And as she stared at her clean, fresh looking appearance in the mirror, she didn't like it. It wasn't really her. Or at least, it was her. But she wasn't there.

Quickly realizing that Alice was baffling herself into oblivion, she turned away from the mirror and walked out of the bathroom, which she spent her mornings getting ready. Back in her bedroom, she lifted her pea coat off of her chair and her Louis Vuitton purse from the floor.

Her father, Roscoe, was sitting downstairs at the breakfast table. In the breakfast room. Their house, rather mini-manor, was only smaller then the Lockwood families. It had been in her fathers family since before the Civil War.

Alice felt it was too showy. A breakfast room? Who needed a room _only_ for breakfast?

"Good morning," she said sweetly, pressing a kiss on her fathers forehead. Roscoe looked up, smiled briefly, and then went back to his newspaper. Alice felt a stinging in her chest that she quickly buried down and reached for a orange that her maid, Mary-Anne, left for her. "I'm going to the Celibacy Club meeting."

This got his attention, "Ah, great. Tell Amelia I say hello, and invite her to dinner tonight! The Founder's Council and I have discussed the important of you all being there." Alice furrowed her brow, nodded, and grabbed her keys from the table beside their front door.

Her car, a brand new Range Rover she got almost a year ago on her sixteenth birthday was parked in the driveway. She ran her fingers across the hood as she passed around it to get into the drivers seat.

She loved to drive, especially alone. Cranking the radio to a volume were no one could say, "Turn it down!" or "That music is shit!". It was freeing to drive and during the fall when she had to drive through the woods with the trees' leaves changing color was one of the most relaxing things.

Alice drove down through Mystic Falls toward the local coffee shop, The Beanery. The club always met there Saturday mornings and stressed the important of making good choices Saturday nights. Amelia was extremely fond of that.

But of course, Alice wasn't.

---

Damon had started toying with that blonde girl Elena was friends with.

It started a few nights ago when he first say her at The Grill. Things just went on from there. Caroline was, well, she was stupid. And needy. And just a bag of flesh to him. She tasted fine and she followed his mind control well enough, but he was still _bored_.

She was too easy, even _Stefan_ had rejected her. Damon was almost ashamed. But she had connections. Her mother was sheriff and Damon could definitely use that to his advantage.

Not to mention the _other_ advantages. It drove Stefan insane, which was always an plus. And of course getting closer to Elena. Which also pissed off Stefan. He just couldn't lose.

He hadn't forgotten about the girl at the party, though. He could still see her in his mind, with the smell of her blood and the sound of her heartbeat forever embedded. He'd been watching her too, at school and at home. She was amusing, really.

---

Tyler Lockwood was just too hooked on Vicki. She was like a drug, coursing through his veins and making him _feel_. Which was what he always wanted, to feel.

He never felt anything from his parents, expect maybe indifference, and even that had barely an effect. But Vicki. Oh did she make him feel. Almost a little too much he worried sometimes.

Maybe it was the drugs. Maybe it was the sex. But all Tyler carried was that it continued.

Vicki rolled over onto her side and faced him in bed, with just a sheet covering her lower body. She bit her lower lip and grinned.

Tyler, moving his hands from behind his neck, grinned back at her. In a second he was on top of her, ready for more.

---

Alice Vreer walked into the coffeehouse only to find everyone sitting around a crying Amelia. She was always the center of attention. "What's going on?" she asked softly, stepping forward and letting her purse drop onto the table.

"Amelia lost her promise ring on the way here." Betsy, a slightly pudgy member of the club explained. Alice nodded, patted Amelia on the back awkwardly, and sat down in her usual spot across the table.

The girls cooed over her and Divya and Alice exchanged a 'this-always-happens' glance. "Guys, it'll be okay. I'm sure I can just get my mom to find another replica." The girls sighed in relief and started to sit down. But then Amelia continued, "_Of my grandmothers wedding ring._"

It was going to be a long meeting.

---

The meeting wrapped up in well enough time. Amelia was doing fine, thank god, and Divya and her were walking Alice to her car. "You guys really don't need to," Alice kept telling them.

"Nonsense, you think we walked you all the way out here just for the fun of it?" Divya laughed, stuffing her hands into the pockets of her jacket.

Alice sighed, "I'll bite, what is it?"

Amelia practically exploded, "I think Tyler likes me!"

It took all Alice had to keep from bursting into a fit of laughter. "You know Vicki Donoven's got him whipped, right?"

Divya shook her head, signaling to Alice that _it wasn't a smart thing to say_. Alice shot her an annoyed glance, then looked back to Amelia. "But, I mean, I'm sure he likes you. Oh, and I almost forgot, my dad said for you to come to the Founder's Council meeting tonight at my house. Something about 'future leaders' or whatever."

"Tyler will be there!" Amelia's eyes almost popped out of her skull.

"Uh yeah, perfect!" Alice was completely sarcastic.

---

Damon was waiting for her when she came back from her meeting. Of course, he wasn't actually in his human form, but rather a black crow sitting on her front porch. He nearly scared the blonde to death, too.

"Shoo!" she yelped, waving her arms at him. Damon was amused. Her tiny little arms were attempting to get him to leave.

And then, as she stepped even closer he just about attacked her right then. She smelled so _good_. Her body spray, he recognized to be vanilla, mixed with the sweet blood running through her veins made him hungry.

Unfortunately for Damon, being distracted by her smell caused him to let her go inside. _Damnit_, he thought.

Once he was sure no one was watching, he transformed, and knocked casually on her door.

The girl slowly opened the door, poking just her head out. "Hi?"

"Hello," he said, curving his lips into a grin.

---

Almost seconds after Alice had closed the door behind her away from that retched bird, there was a tapping at the door. She sighed, dropped her purse to the ground, and opened the door, just to see who it was.

Standing before her was simply put, the most gorgeous young man she'd ever seen. His bone structure, his body, he was _perfect_. "Hi?" she managed to choke out.

His greeting was melt-worthy. Alice tried to keep it together. "Can I help you?"

"Oh, my mistake. I think I came to the wrong house." he said politely, searching her face. "You know, you look familiar."

"Oh?" Alice couldn't believe she was even keeping this conversation up. She couldn't even talk to Matt Donovan without blushing and looking away, let alone an older, more gorgeous man! She slowly opened the rest of the door and waited for him to finish.

"Hurry up and get ready!" Audrey called from upstairs. Alice sighed, looked at the man in the doorway and apologized.

"I really have to go. It was nice meeting you-" she paused, she didn't know his name.

"Wait," he looked right at her and turned his head to the side. Alice was a little startled, but waited. "You should let me inside."

Alice stared into his eyes, suddenly feeling lost in warmth and happiness. "Okay," she said with a smile. "Why don't you-"

In a second the door was slammed, and Alice snapped back into reality. She looked to her right to see her father shaking her head. "Alice, you need to focus and get back to work, instead of talking to people trying to sell things."

Alice opened her mouth the explain, but closed her mouth, nodded and made her way up the stairs.

---

Damon groaned. He wanted to scream. This was getting much harder then he thought.

He started walking away, thinking how he was going to have to change his plan. This girl was much too guarded.

But then he paused, with the sudden feeling he was being watched. Damon turned quickly, and looked up to see her looking at him from her window upstairs.

He grinned. She did a sort of awkward wave.

Damon winked and turned away, letting his grin turn into a wolfish smirk. Maybe it wouldn't be so hard after all.

**Let me know if there were any errors! And I'll try to get back with a chapter tomorrow, but school starts up again so I'll try! Stupid AP classes... and before you go...REVIEW! Please, it'll mean the world to me! Thanks!**

**EDIT READ HERE: So I realized I had Alice tell Damon her name. Stupid, because Damon asks her name in the preview in the first chapter. Sorry, I made myself look like an ass who doesn't know her own story. I hope you guys can forgive me for this chapters suckyness. It reeks of it.  
**


	4. All the Right Moves

**Soooooooooo sorry this took this long. I've been super busy. I hope it doesn't suck! **

"Is he here yet?"

Alice had just opened the door, to reveal Amelia dressed to the nines in a almost too-short shiny strapless dress and heels Alice had never seen so high. She stifled a chuckle, "Not yet. His parents are though." She didn't want to say the rest out loud, _He's probably not coming_.

Amelia sighed and stepped into her house. She dropped her fur coat into the arms of Maryanne, Alice's maid, and took one look at the 'party'. "No one's dressed up."

Alice looked down at her floor length semi-casual pink and floral dress. Of course they weren't dressed super fancy like Amelia, it was simply a dinner party. "Well, I suppose they aren't quite as formal as you are, but you look great."

Amelia smiled at Alice, patted her on the shoulder, and stepped into the party. Alice chuckled to herself and followed her friend.

She had been so busy all afternoon getting herself ready and helping Maryanne clean the house (because obviously Audrey wasn't going to help), that she'd hardly given any thought to Amelia being at the party. Amelia was a handful at parties, always craving attention and making sure the spotlight was on her. And even though tonight was not a party, as much as Alice wasn't to remind her, Amelia would continue to treat it as though it was one.

"Alice!" As if on a cue, Amelia waved her forward. Alice smiled to herself, picked up the bottom of her dress and walked toward her friend. "So I found my ring."

"Oh that's great!" Alice tried to sound enthusiastic, but it just rang out monotone. Alice turned, trying to hide herself from Amelia's reaction. "Where was it?"

"In my pocket," Amelia explained, laughed, and then went on and on about how she found it. Alice nodded along, letting her mind drift.

She thought about the homework she still had to do, and was inevitably procrastinating on. She thought about how she was definitely not going to get to bed at a decent hour, and therefore wouldn't be able to spend the entire day doing homework like she needed. Alice hated it when she didn't get her homework done. She felt embarrassed.

Alice focused back into reality and her eyes caught her father trying to subtly call her over. He was dressed in one of his finer suits and was standing elegantly across from Mr. and Mrs. Lockwood. Alice noticed their smiling glances at her and she quickly smiled back.

She didn't even excuse herself from Amelia as she made her way over to her father and his friends.

"Ah there you are Alice, I was just telling Charles about your work for the Boys and Girls Club."

"He was," Mayor Lockwood continued, "And I was just telling your father that I was looking for someone to head the section here in Mystic Falls. I'd have Nancy do it, but she's much too busy with her own philanthropy."

Alice knew her place here, "That is a impressive role to uphold, is it not? It would benefit our community immensely."

"And that's what your father was saying," the Mayor added. "He was also hinting that you would be splendid at the job."

"Oh Charles," Mrs. Lockwood laughed, smacking her husband lightly in the arm. "Now that talks not appropriate for dinner! Why don't you come over to Charles' office sometime next week and we'll get everything straightened out."

Alice blushed, "Of course, I would love to."

"Well then!" Her father laughed, wrapping his arm lightly around her shoulders. Alice moved closer, leaning her head against his arm for a moment. "Would you two like another glass of wine? Maryanne-"

"Oh no Roscoe, that isn't necessary at the moment. As you can see our glasses are still half full!" The Mayor proclaimed. Alice tried to chuckle with him. He turned to her, "Isn't this just a wonderful time. Aren't you glad your father decided to invite you children?"

Alice tried not to grimace at being called a child, "Of course I am. I'm having a great time. My father did a beautiful job planning this."

"It's a shame Tyler couldn't be here, his car broke down." Mrs. Lockwood mused. "He would have enjoyed this."

Yeah right, Alice thought. Tyler would have been complaining the entire time.

She nodded. And hoped to God this party would be over in the next ten seconds.

She waited.

Nope, it was still going.

---

Damon sat up, startled. There was someone at his house.

Stefan was out at some get together with Elena and that pretty African American girl whose name Damon kept forgetting. Zach was at that Founder's Council party.

He furrowed his brow and pushed himself off of the vintage green couch he was lying on. Walking slowly past the rest of his living room, he peered out the window. He sighed when he saw who it was.

"Caroline," he stated, monotone as he opened the door to reveal the pretty, but annoying blonde girl he was toying with. His eyes bore into hers. "What are you doing here?"

"Well," she took a deep breathe, almost as if to prepare for her long speech ahead, "I was supposed to go to the Founder's Council dinner at the Vreer's house, but I was just not into it. And I know what you're thinking, Caroline not wanting to dress up and look pretty? I know, it's crazy. But I just couldn't be away from your for one night! And I'm not one of those girls who depend on a guy for happiness! But you and I just-"

Damon cut her off, using compulsion, "Go home Caroline."

"Okay!" She smiled brightly, blew a key, and stated walking the opposite way down the steps. Damon watched her muscular body until it was gone from his sight. Then, he closed the door with a slam and went back to plotting.

At this point in time he was two plans for his own personal virgin prey.

First, he was going to drink her sweet, pure blood. Then, he was going to take her virginity.

Not rape, because as much of a killer as he was, he wasn't much into the unwilling taking of sex from a woman. Because that made him look like he wasn't getting any. And he could get some, without compulsion.

No, that simple girl would fall into his bed at a drop of a hat.

They all did.

---

Alice was surprised was Tyler actually showed up.

She wasn't surprised when she realized he was stoned.

"Hey how's it going?" He slurred at her when she opened the front door. He had his hands shoved into his pockets and was leaning sloppily against the doorframe.

"Just peachy," she replied, not bothering to conceal her disappointment. She shouldn't have been disappointed, she knew better than to expect nothing less than perfection from anyone but herself.

Actually, she was doing a lot of disappointing herself lately.

Tyler grinned and stepped into the house, "You know your awful cute Alice, 'cept for the fact that your clothes cover up those sexy parts of yours. I bet you'd look great in a bikini." He was so chaotic, and Alice tried not to slap him across the face.

"Well thanks for that Tyler," she patted him on the side of the arm. She personally didn't want to see him get into trouble, she never did. But the kid was seriously misguided, and Alice thought it might do him some good to get yelled yet once in a while.

He didn't seem as high as a kite than she'd seem him before. Which obviously meant he was coming down. Alice was glad, and hoped she could keep him away from the party as long as possible.

Thankfully, Amelia showed up, glass of sparkling champagne in one hand and another glass in the other. "Hi Tyler!" she greeted happily, "Oh and here's the glass you asked for." She handed it to Alice, giving her a stern look.

Alice took it as, 'don't-you-mess-this-up-for-me'.

"Hello Ameana," Tyler laughed playfully. "It's Ameana right?"

"Amelia actually," she was frowning. Amelia looked nervously at Alice, who shrugged helplessly. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Just peachy," Tyler mocked, sending a glance at Alice, who tried her best to not laugh. But she couldn't help it.

Alice smiled and when she looked at Amelia, it was almost like she was growling.

---

An hour or two later Alice was sitting on her front porch. Most everyone had left the party except a few stragglers. Amelia was long gone, headed home in embarrassment. Alice tried to explain to her that Tyler was high, and he probably would have gotten her name wrong also. But Amelia would have none of it.

She was swinging lightly in the wooden rocker, thinking over the night. It had all happened so strangely, first Mayor Lockwood wanting her to get into town politics, then Tyler coming in stoned. It took him only twenty minutes to get back to sober, which at that point allowed him to become his usual moody self. And as more events unfolded, like Zach Salvatore giving them all some kind of jewelry that 'symbolized their future in the council'.

Alice had received a pretty bracelet and she was self consciously spinning it around on her wrist. She didn't usually wear bracelets, they made her skin break out. She'd just wear it until Zach left and then take it off.

She really didn't want a rash.

---

The front door opened and Tyler emerged, looking more upset then before. He swore to himself and turned to his left to see Alice sitting alone on the swing. She had her skinny legs crossed and her gladiator sandals were lying on the ground next to her. He knew he had to be polite, especially to her, "Thanks for the party." He mumbled. Hey, at least it was a start.

Alice turned to look at him, her eyes showing no emotions. "You're welcome."

Tyler hated that about Alice. Because as pretty and kind as she was, he never knew what she was thinking. She was so reserved, unlike most girls at his school. Hell, he barely even conversed with anyone like her. She was sort of intriguing. Just sort of.

But he wasn't going to stay much longer, Vicki would be swinging by to pick him up in Matt's truck and then they'd go and fuck until the sun came up.

As the blue pickup drove up to her driveway, Tyler gave one last look at Alice. She was staring at the car, almost like she was reading it. Like there were words on the car. He looked at her for a moment longer and then walked toward the truck, not looking back.

"Hey baby," Vicki greeted sexily as he opened the passenger door. He grinned at her wolfishly and planted a passionate kiss on her lips. "Mm, that was worth waiting for."

"Wait until you see what's next," Tyler continued, "Let's go."

"Going," Vicki chuckled and put the car into drive. Just as she hit the gas Tyler looked behind him, only to find a tall figure standing in the way, blocking his view of Alice.

**This was shorter than normal, but I wanted to get something out. AND a CLIFFHANGER. Sort of. Well you guys already know who it is anyway. It's obvious. I think. Anyway one more chapter and then it's the events from the first chapter/preview thing. Then I can actually get into the main plot instead of this boring background crap. Let me guys know if you like the Tyler parts in here, or if they are so boring you can't even stand them. I like his character a lot, so I kind of feel this need to add him in. But reviews are the BEST and if you do it now, I'll seriously love you forever!**


	5. Lost!

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything, except Alice and her family. And that crazy bitch Amelia. Gotta love her.**

**Thanks for all the reviews last chapter. And the favorites! Crazy amounts of those, and I love each and everyone of you. Do I wish you'd review? You bet I do. But hey, I catch myself sometimes not reviewing too.  
**

**A Little Over a Week Later**

Alice was scheduled to meet with Mayer Lockwood and his wife at his office at City Hall. She didn't want to, though.

Sure, she wanted to head the Boys and Girls Club, but there was an increasing number of animal attacks in the area, and Alice wanted to avoid going outside except for necessity.

Her father was warning her about leaving the house, and it seemed very hypocritical that he didn't allow her to reschedule. Which she wanted to do.

One of the animal attacks was just outside her house, scary close. She had spent the entire night talking to the police and waiting as they cleared from the woods in her backyard. Every time she went to sleep she imagined hearing the screams of the poor girl who was attacked.

She couldn't help but wonder what kind of animal was doing the attacking. She suspected some kind of large cat, like a mountain lion or something. But that was strange for Virginia, wasn't it?

Alice parked her black Range Rover in the parking lot, close to the doors. She hoped she could get the to the door fast enough. Alice also knew she was being a little over protective, it wasn't very likely the lion would be out during the day in the middle of the city.

Once she was inside, Alice locked her car, waiting for the little beep and flash of the lights. She paused, peeking outside to see if there was anyone else, then turned.

To get to Mayor Lockwood's office, Alice had to walk a long, bright and lit up hallway. There were men in suits and women in fancy dresses standing and talking. As Alice passed in her sundress and flats she felt very, very out of place.

Mrs. Lockwood was outside her husband's office and noticed Alice right away. She smiled, though Alice doubted it was real, and opened her arms for a sort of polite and barely touching hug. She had many of those in her life, especially with her parents' society friends.

"Alice, you look just darling!" She cooed, taking Alice under her arm and leading her toward the door. Alice smiled politely back and complimented her on her own outfit. "Oh sweetie, no need to compliment an old bat like me!"

Alice agreed, but didn't say anything.

"How are you?" Alice asked, really wanting to ask about the animal attacks and what she thought of them.

"Oh you know, just getting by." Mrs. Lockwood chuckled, opening the door for Alice. "But I am quite worried about those attacks. Don't be out at night Alice, we wouldn't want you to be the next victim."

"You don't need to worry Mrs. Lockwood," Alice informed her, "My father barely would allow me out today! But I told him this was necessary, or course."

A blatant lie, but it sounded good.

The Mayor was sitting at his desk, talking to someone sitting in the chair across from him. Alice instantly noted it was Tyler, who looked like he had just ran a marathon. He was sweaty and wearing a cut off grey t-shirt and black basketball shorts. He wore a red sweatband over his head and she could still hear his iPod blaring music from where it sat on his lap.

Alice couldn't help but think about how good looking he was. Over the last week, it seemed she'd been running into him everywhere. Ever since after the party at her house a week ago, when his father had came to talk to her at the end of the night, she'd been thinking about him too.

His father, the Mayor, had told her about the time when they were little and Tyler and her played in a mud pit at a society event. He chuckled as he told her, and Alice found it endearing, but also strange. Why should it matter much to her?

She didn't remember that day, she couldn't remember that many times when she and Tyler actually spent time together, enjoying themselves.

But over the past week she'd see him in school or run into him at The Grill. Maybe she always did that, but this time she was starting to notice. He was nicer to her than he was to most people. Alice suspected it was because of her parents, but she hoped it wasn't.

As the Mayor greeted her, Tyler turned around to see who had arrived. His eyes traveled slowly over her body and once he reached her face, Alice suspected the slightest smile twitching at his lips.

---

Damon was getting impatient.

The girl was getting more guarded every day. He watched as her father told her never to go outside alone. The dick must have been on the Council, because there was no other way he could have known.

She would get picked up from school from two meat-head brothers, who Damon didn't care the slightest at who they were. Then she'd never leave her fucking house. She was like fucking Emily Dickinson.

It was his only chance. Damon made sure there was no one around when he walked over to her sleek little Range Rover. He swiftly broke in, messed with the ignition, and made sure that there was no way in hell the little bitch would be able to get inside.

He was already twitching in anticipation of her blood, which he knew he'd have _tonight_.

---

"-that sound good?" Mayor Lockwood smiled at her, clasped his hands together, and sat back down in his giant black leather chair. Alice nodded.

"That sounds perfect. Thank you so much for this opportunity Mayor Lockwood. You won't regret it." Alice was truly honored. It was a much more prestigious role then she had expected, being in charge of the Mystic Falls Boys and Girls Club was going to be a lot of work, but it would be well worth it.

"I know I won't," he winked and placed his hands on a stack of paper. "But I'm sorry, but I've got another appointment in ten minutes. Tyler, could you kindly see Alice out?"

"Yeah," Tyler sighed, pushing himself out of the chair. Alice smiled at both of his parents and followed him out of the office, trying her hardest not to admire his back side.

They walked out, Alice trying to keep up with his big strides. So maybe everything she was thinking about him was wrong, maybe he really was a stupid, stuck up, jer-

All of the sudden he was closer to her, holding her elbow, "Sorry Alice. I didn't want my parents to get the wrong idea if I was talking to you back there."

Alice furrowed her eyebrows, "That's okay, I understand." But she didn't.

"Okay, thanks. You're the best." His face lit up and he opened the door for her. Alice walked through and realized that it was raining. Actually, it was pouring.

"Great," she sighed, turning to Tyler. "Thanks again Tyler. I'll see you later."

Alice took one last look at the dry and warm building behind her and ran toward her car. She felt her dress soaking and her hair frizzing and it was just all too much.

She climbed into her Range Rover and past as she possibly could, and then her keys wouldn't go into the ignition. They physically wouldn't go in. She twisted her head to look, and saw that the key hole was warped. As if in the last hour someone broke in a busted it. "Really?" she shouted, hitting her hands against the steering wheel, only to hit the horn instead.

"Fuck!" she swore, which was fairly unusual for her. Every part of her was upset. And Alice was trying her hardest not to let the tears fall. She wasn't normally an over sensitive person, but for some reason her feelings were all coming up at once. She bit her lip and tried her best to not cry.

"Just call Dad," she told herself, and pulled her phone out of her purse. No service.

Telling herself to take a deep breath, Alice decided she'd most likely get service inside, or be able to use a phone from in the building. She took on last look at the warm, dryness of her car, suppressed a whine, and opened her door.

She darted inside, now Tyler was no where to be found, and Alice preferred it that way. She was a mess currently, and from the reflection of herself in the window, she wasn't looking very pretty.

She dialed again on her phone, but her father didn't pick up. She sighed, he was probably in a meeting. She tried her mother, Audrey, "Hello?" Audrey sounded annoyed.

"Hi Mom, what are you doing right now?"

"I'm at the spa Alice," her voice was laced with irritation. "What do you need?"

Alice could picture Audrey in a white spa robe, green seaweed wrap on her face and an Asian woman massaging her feet. It almost upset her. "My car won't start."

"Oh, well just call a cab." With that Audrey hung up. Alice sighed, bit her lip and turned away from her reflection. Sometimes her mother really upset her. There weren't any cabs in Mystic Falls, and Audrey knew that.

Alice wanted to scream. This was just turning out to be an awful day. First there was an animal attack the night before and she wasn't supposed to leave the house. And when she did, catastrophe struck.

She contemplated calling Amelia. She couldn't call Divya who was out of state for some kind of scholastic competition. Amelia was her only other choice. It was sad, Alice didn't know many people well enough to ask for a ride.

Amelia was one of her recent calls, Alice had tried to connect with her yesterday but the girl was still upset over what happened at the party. Alice thought she was overreacting, but then again, she was Amelia.

Alice waited until the last ring shifted into Amelia's voice mail message, "Hi this is Amelia. I'm sorry I couldn't answer the phone, but if you leave your name and number I can try to get back to you. Have a great day!"

Waiting for the beep, Alice smiled at a couple walking out of the doors. Both the man and the woman eyed her strangely and Alice seriously wished she hadn't worn a dress. "Hi Amelia, this is Alice. Um, my car won't start and I was wondering if you could possibly come pick me up? I'm at City Hall and-"

"You need a ride?"

Alice turned away from the phone to see Tyler emerging from the doors. He was looking at her with a funny expression. He changed, and was now wearing a black v-neck t-shirt and jeans. Alice found herself nodding. "Yeah, but that's okay. I'll just wait for Amelia to-"

"Vicki is swinging by to pick me up and away from this dreaded place. We can drop you off at your place if you want, it's on the way to my house." Tyler was unusually kind. Alice wanted him to stop, because he wasn't doing much to keep her from crushing on him.

"Are you sure?" she self-consciously pulled at her hair. "You don't have to. I'd just be a bother."

"Don't worry about it. Vick's here now anyway." Tyler gestured for her to follow him. She did so, not bothering to resist.

---

She got a fucking ride.

Damon's nose flared angrily. Too. Much. Work.

He had to readjust his plan.

---

Alice ended up at Vicki's house. Apparently Vicki had to get home because she left her curling iron on. Alice couldn't help but think the girl was actually stupid.

"I didn't know we were going to your house," she insisted as she parked her car in the driveway. "It'll only be a minute."

Alice had to pee, "Can I use your bathroom?" she asked quietly from the backseat.

"Sure, come on." Vicki waved her forward and the two girls got out of the car and ran inside. "Do you want a change of clothes?"

Alice paused in front of the bathroom door, "No that's okay. Thank you, though."

Vicki nodded and disappeared up the staircase. Alice noted that she was very pretty, even though she dressed a little trashy from time to time. And her house was modest, not too small, not too big.

Alice used the bathroom at looked at herself in the mirror, trying to do something with her hair. It had dried it's natural wavy style, which was fine for Alice but never good enough for her mother. Alice wiped the black mascara that had slightly run down her face. She reached into her purse and fixed it just a little.

When Alice opened the door, Vicki was standing in front of her, smiling. In her hands was a folded pair of dark jeans, a dark leather jacket, white wife beater, and a pair of black boots. "I figured you did want to change. And Tyler sat down on the couch with a bag of chips, so it'll probably be a while."

It was awful thoughtful of her, Alice thought. "Wow, thank you Vicki."

"Sure thing," Vicki winked and let Alice take the clothes. Alice closed the door again and set the clothes down on the sink. She stripped off her white cardigan and pink and white floral sundress, letting them fall to the floor gracefully. She stared at herself in the full length mirror and wondered what was wrong with herself.

Her mother acted like their was something wrong with her. Her father acted like she was never perfect enough. Amelia and Divya always expected more from Alice. Was there something missing from her? Was she lacking that supreme quality that everyone expected her to have?

She touched her face and traced the curve of her jaw, feeling the scar that she had received when she was nine after falling off of her swing set in their backyard. It was more like a park, her father had gone all out on it. Not because he wanted his daughter to have the best, but because he _could_ have the best. She had cried and neither of her parents came to her rescue. It was Maryanne, who told her to chin up and that it was only a scratch.

Maybe she was being to self-pitying. Maybe Alice did have a great life and that she was just wishing for something she'd never have.

But Alice couldn't help but feel unfulfilled. Like there was something she still needed to do. That's why she always worked with charity organizations. It never felt like enough.

Alice pulled on the tight jeans and pulled on the top and jacket. It felt foreign, like she was in someone else's body, wearing someone else's clothes. She pursed her lips in the mirror as she slid on the boots. She kind of liked it. She didn't look like simple, sweet Alice. But rather a more mysterious, unknown Alice.

It was almost liberating.

---

When Alice exited the bathroom, she wandered through the short hallway to find Vicki in the kitchen, leaning against the counter and picking up a bowl of candy. She was humming some sort of song and when she heard Alice, she looked up. "Ah, they look great!"

"Thanks," Alice said cautiously. Vicki held up the bowl, offering Alice some. "No thanks."

"So what were you doing at City Hall?" Vicki asked, genuinely interested.

"Mayor Lockwood set me up as head of the Boys and Girls Club of Mystic Falls." Alice hoped it didn't sound like she was bragging, because she honestly wasn't.

"Ooh, sounds kinky. Has he been pressuring you too?"

"Excuse me?" Alice furrowed her brow, sending a questioning look in the older girls direction.

"The Mayor. Tyler's dad. Because he's been pressuring Ty about it too. Never leaving him alone, actually." Vicki explained, opening a mini Snicker's bar.

Alice still didn't understand. "About what exactly?"

"The two of you. Tyler said he's been trying to get him off of his back and all. He says his dad won't let it go."

"The two of us? Like _together_? It sounded almost comical to Alice, as she tried to not laugh.

Vicki laughed, "Exactly! Ty had the same reaction. Just about laughed himself insane. He was trying to make his dad see how not perfect you two are for each other by being overly nice. I told him that was the _opposite _way, but you know boys. I'm glad it's working, though. Seems you two have the same way of thinking. Don't ask me how, though."

Alice started to fell very stick to her stomach. She was a pity? Tyler was only being nice to her because his wanted to prove something to his dad? She was just some silly little pawn?

"It was really nice of you Vicki," Alice stuttered, turning away quickly. She could barely look her in the eye. "I'll just walk home. Thanks."

Alice was out the door just as she heard Vicki yelling for her to stop.

---

Damon was excited.

She was running right for him.

He could already taste her sweet, _virgin_ blood.

**CLIFFHANGER!! Ahh, I was so pumped while writing this. It was super fun. I've had this idea from before I wrote the preview thing. I think it turned out well, at least I hope. Let me know your thoughts on everything! Answer these questions in your review if you please:**

**1) What do you think of the plot so far?**

**2) Do you like the way it's headed?**

**3) Predictions!**

**4) Ideas?**

**5) Should we shoot Tyler? I wanted to shout 'He's still not good!' to everyone who said they liked him in here. He's had ulterior motives the whole time!**

**REVIEW PLEASE AND ANSWER THOSE QUESTIONS. Feedback is my baby. Honestly, it's my love. Just like you guys! Until next time!  
**


	6. Blinding

**I'm soooo sorry this took this long. Life got ahead of me and I had to play some catching up. And then I wrote this crappy version of this story, that well, ruined everything for me. And couldn't write anything on it because I just didn't know where to take it. So I deleted it and started over. So this isn't very long, but I figured you guys at least wanted _something_. And all of my readers are seriously the best in the world. You guys review like crazy...12 last chapter? Thanks so much! I love them all. Plus a lot of you favorite and alert and don't review, which I take as positive feedback anyway. I hope you guys like this and don't...idk...slaughter me? Thanks a million! Enjoy!**

Alice screamed.

In a second he was on her, and she could feel his teeth, better yet fangs digging into her neck. She screamed louder, hoping someone would save her.

Tears poured from her eyes and she tried to push him off, but then the pain became unbearable. It was like someone was, quite literally, stabbing her with an extremely sharp knife. She fell limp into his arms.

Alice was still conscious, but barely. She hoped that if maybe she didn't try to stir, he'd stop. Maybe he liked the adrenaline of the pain he was causing her.

It worked, because in a few seconds he pulled away. Yet, Alice could still smell his strong cologne. On any other day it would have pleased her, she loved cologne. But now, it only made her sick.

He held her in his arms, and she kept her eyes closed. "I can feel you shaking," his voice sent shivers through her spine.

Alice opened her eyes.

What she saw, would never leave her. Two ice blue eyes bore down into hers. Alice wanted to scream again, but something held her back. She didn't know what it was, but she couldn't.

Then that feeling was gone, and she screamed again. "Let go of me!" she demanded and wiggled free, falling down onto the dirt on the ground.

He stood tall above her, like a looming force always around. Alice tried to crawl backwards, but stumble once she hit a tree. With her back against the tree, she tried to stand. Slowly, because she never knew how fast he would move.

He only watched her, with a sort of amused expression on his face.

Alice recognized that expression.

He was the man who came to her door a week ago. He had been looking for some girl named Emily.

No he hadn't. Alice didn't know why he was there. But he wasn't there for Emily.

Then something hit Alice. He had been _feeding _from her. Like some kind of animal. Like Edward Cullen from those stupid Twilight novels. Like a vampire.

Vampire.

The word hit her like a truck. If she could have stumbled back any farther she would have. Alice felt sick. She was going to be sick.

Then she leaned over and threw up. Anything that she had eaten that night was gone. She tried to hold her hair back, but it only got in the way.

When she looked up, he was still there, only a few steps closer. Alice watched in horror as he stepped closer again. She tried to back away around the tree this time, but he stopped. "Here," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out something.

It was a breath mint.

She stared at it like it was poison. He sighed, "I use it so my breath doesn't smell like iron."

Alice wouldn't take it. She was confused. Terrified. And so she shook her head spastically and turned, then started sprinting.

Only to be grabbed in a second and pulled back to where she was. She screamed again. This time she fought as he held onto her arms.

Alice tried to rip her arms away, but he held on tighter. "Let me go!" she yelled pathetically. But there was no use. Again she exhausted herself.

"Let me go," she whispered for a second time.

"Fuck you're a fighter," he chuckled, letting her go. "Now stay put. I was awfully nice to you last time and I won't be the next time it happens."

She stayed put, but crossed her arms over her chest and sort of huddled with herself. Alice wanted to get away, but she knew she couldn't. He was a vampire. A real life vampire. One who sucked blood. One who could come out at night.

And he hadn't killed her yet.

But she knew he would.

"So, Alice right?" He didn't wait for her response, "I'm assuming that's a yes. Now I'm surprised you didn't pass out. Haven't had one who stayed awake for decades. Refreshing the way you kicked and screamed and tried to fend me off those ineffectively. It was actually kind of sexy."

He winked. Alice wanted to puke again.

He continued, "And your blood." He pressed his hands to his lips in a sort of 'that was tasty' way, "Fantastic. I haven't had virgins blood in _years_. I can't tell you enough how it fills me. I was starving for you Alice."

She shivered and stared at him from over her shoulder.

Then he stepped closer and she turned away again. He didn't touch her this time, but brought his face close to her ear. "I've been watching you. And I have to say, you've got quite the life. Little Miss Chastity Club am I right? Keep a crowd with that Lockwood boy lately? I hate to break it to you, but he doesn't feel the same way." His breath was hot against her skin, and Alice wanted to move away. She couldn't. She was terrified in place.

"But back to you, sweet. That's what you are, sweet, pure, innocent. You don't come across many sixteen year olds who still haven't even done _anything_. No sex for you, that's for sure. From your blood I can tell. So pure. You taste like a baby Alice. But it's better, the experience is more satisfying."

"Do you always play with your food?"

Alice couldn't believe the words left her mouth. And in such a condescending and invulnerable way. That wasn't her.

She regretted. She prayed to God to take it back.

She knew she was done for.

---

"Do you always play with your food?"

The comment took him by surprise. Damon took a step back after it, and stared at her. She had her eyes pressed shut and her jaw clenched. She wished she hadn't said it.

Damon grinned wolfishly. "No, only when they interest me. Which you do."

Alice opened her eyes slowly and looked at him, "Are you going to kill me?"

"Hmm," he pretended to ponder the thought. "Not right now. But you never know in the future."

He liked her reaction. She let out a tiny cry. "What are you going to do to me?"

"So many questions," he groaned. Then he sighed and said, "Right now I'm going to walk you home."

"Walk me _home_?" The words shocked her. Damon liked that. He bet she had been thinking all these terrifying possibilities of him kidnapping her and never letting her go home. No, that wasn't his plan.

"Yeah, you have a problem with that? Unless you'd rather stay with me. I've got plenty of room in my bed…"

She blushed. He snickered. "Let's go."

He walked by her and kept going, not bothering to wait for her to catch up. "What's your name?"

"Damon." He heard her sigh, and then scurry behind him to catch up.

---

When Alice got home that night, she barely could register what had happened. She covered the bite marks with her hair and when she walked inside she mentioned to her dad that she had been with Amelia and they were doing some philanthropy outside all day. He believed her, thank god.

She had stumbled up to her room and fallen into bed, not bother to take a much needed shower. The events of the night were racing through her mind, and she was unable to stop and think about any certain event. Things like Tyler, ruined clothes, vampires, and even Damon's leather jacket kept popping up.

Yet, she was exhausted and there was no way she could think about anything any longer. Which was why she fell asleep on her bed, with her boots and jacket still on.

---

The next morning, Alice had a horrible crick in her neck. She had tossed and turned all night from nightmares of Edward Cullen and a bunch of Vicki's wearing Alice's clothes. It really was terrifying.

She pulled herself out of bed and stumbled into the bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she saw a mess. Her hair was curly and there was dirt all over her face. The bite marks were staring directly at her, like a zit in the middle of her face. She touched them softly and was surprised to find they weren't as deep as she expected. There was dried blood around them although, and she could smell the outdoors all over her.

Alice slipped off of the leather jacket, tight jeans, and boots that Vicki had loaned to her. She made a mental note to return them when she could build up her pride again. Without those clothes on, Alice felt a little better. Maybe they made everything happen.

But not likely.

In the shower, Alice couldn't help but think about Damon. Which eventually got awkward for her, because, well she was naked and he was, well, extremely sexy. And dangerous. She had to remind herself that he was dangerous. Evil. And most likely a serial killer.

The animal attacks.

The pieces came together in her mind as she realized that he must have been the one causing all of those 'animal attacks'. Of course there wasn't an animal that dried the blood of it's victims, that was ridiculous. Then again, it was ridiculous to even think vampires existed.

And they did. Alice was hard evidence.

She quickly finished showering and looked at the clock. She had exactly ten minutes before she had to get to school. There was no way she'd make it on time, and frankly school seemed like the least of her worries.

Deciding to finish as quickly as she could anyway, Alice darted out of the room and practically threw on her clothes and slapped some make-up on. She pulled her almost dry hair into a high ponytail and hoped she looked presentable. To shield the bite mark, she wrapped a scarf around her neck.

"Your late," her father said from his usual place at the breakfast table. Alice faked a smile to him, pressed a kiss to his forehead, and grabbed an apple from the fruit basket on the table. "You'd better hurry."

"Of course Daddy. Have a great day," she said sweetly.

"Take your mothers car," he said, addressing the fact that her car had been towed the night before. Alice nodded and grabbed the keys to the Audi and darted outside.

Once she climbed into the car and started the engine something caught the corner of her eye.

She screamed.

Sitting in the backseat was Damon, grinning at her like a dog.

**I apologize for the shortness. Originally for this chapter I was going to have Alice wake up at Damon's, but I didn't think Damon would take her back to his place...just seemed to weird for me. So Damon is going to be creepy stalker like. Fits better! **

**I hope you all review...because it makes my night! And it makes me want to update faster. Which I'm pretty sure will happen. I have the next chapter planned out! Love you all!**

**EDIT: So I have another story in the works for Vampire Diaries. If you guys are interested in it let me know!  
**


	7. All We Are

**Sorry again for the long wait, but I think by now we're looking at updates once or twice a week. I have spring break in about a week (I think!) which I will probably get ahead in writing. I know it probably makes no sense to you guys, but I like to space out updates so I can get some feedback and make sure you guys like where it's going. Anyway, enjoy! **

**And I apologize for there are two f-bombs in the Damon part a little bit father down in the chapter. My normal cursing is throughout, though. **

Damon sighed, "I'd suggest you shut up, or daddy dearest is going to come out here. Then I'm going to have to kill him."

Alice quickly shut her mouth and started shaking. "What are you doing?" she hissed, shaken up.

He shrugged, then moved from his spot in the back to next to her in the passenger seat. He tapped the dashboard and moved his hand to the radio, turning on a station that played seventies rock hits. "School starts at eight thirty, right?"

Alice's eyes moved from him to the time, which read 8:45. She turned to look at him, and repeated. "What are you doing?"

"Well right now I'm driving with you to school. Then, we'll I might go look for a snack, unless-"

She put the car into reverse and pulled out of her driveway without a single word. Alice wasn't going to be another snack. She never wanted to again. And if she could keep him happy, she figured he wouldn't. At least today.

They drove in silence, with Damon mumbling the words to the song on the radio. Alice kept sending cautionary glances in his direction, which he ignored but still noticed. He noticed everything, like the way she kept moving and her hands couldn't stay still.

"We need to talk," he proposed, moving his hand from the dashboard to her arm. Alice tried to keep from twitching, but she did so instinctively. He gave her a fake half smile "I've decided that there are certain things that you know about, well that you probably shouldn't know about."

Alice waited for him to continue as her hands started to sweat on the wheel. Damon was unnerving, and she didn't know whether to feel safe or threatened.

He continued, "As you must know, because you seem like the type to watch those frilly vampire tv shows, we have this little thing called _compulsion_. Which involves a bunch of shit in which I can make you do whatever I want by just muttering a few words. Little things like forgetting memories, or, you know, sleeping with me." Her face turned hot. Damon smirked, "Now Alice I really don't want to have to use it with you. You and I have a sort of connection, I feel like. Your useful to me, I'm useful to you. We could get along great. As long as you keep your mouth shut."

"About what? I'm not going to go and tell the entire town about you." She said harshly, then added softly, "I'm not that stupid."

"See, that's what I'm talking about. Alice, your clever. I like that about you." He patted her thigh, then took it away. Alice would have found that perverted, but she was just starting to realize that he was generally a sexual creature.

"So what are you worried about?" She asked, taking the turn toward the school.

Damon grinned, "Nothing really. Just making sure. Although you do know the consequences if you tell your father or his stupid council about us-"

"Us?" Alice didn't realize that she said it until Damon had turned his head to face her, with an unhappy look on his face. "Oh my god, there's more of you?" She asked quietly. "How many?"

"One other. My brother," Damon groaned, annoyed he'd let that slip.

"Oh," her mouth moved with the word and Damon's stomach suddenly growled. Alice heard and turned to look at him in horror.

"Don't worry. Not you this time." He sighed as she pulled into the parking lot. He opened the door and moved out, then in a second he was on the other side of the door opening hers for her. Alice shook, startled, then slowly moved out. "If you see Caroline Forbes, tell her I'm looking for her."

He smiled at her again, which left a uneasy feeling in her stomach. Then he brushed a piece of her hair away from her face in a sort of protection way.

She found herself unable to breath, or think, only looking deep into his pale eyes.

With that he was gone, and Alice was left with her mouth open, unsure of what to think.

---

When Alice walked into class late, all eyes turned toward her. Uncomfortably she moved quickly to her seat in the back and pulled out Grapes of Wrath, the novel they were currently studying. As her teacher started on his lecture, Alice pushed her hair out of face.

She had a very eventful night, and frankly she was exhausted. Schools wasn't her favorite thing, that's for sure.

Alice used to like sitting in the back and watching everyone. People watching used to be her favorite. But lately all she wanted to do was blend into the background.

Class continued and she felt her cell phone vibrate against her leg from where it was in her backpack. She looked up to see that her teacher was facing the board, and she slipped it out of the pocket and into her lap.

The text was from Divya, who Alice hadn't honestly thought about it a while. The girl must have just gotten back from her trip. It was almost refreshing, because Divya was always a constant in her life, they'd been friends with each other since they were very little. And without Divya, she used to feel lost.

_Alice what happened to you?? _

_You look like someone just died??_

_No one died right??_

Alice internally sighed, she was going to have to come up with some excuse to as why she was acting so depressed. Because there was no way in hell that she'd drop that she was currently, or as she suspected, a sort of plaything to a rampaging vampire. Not only would Divya not believe her, but Damon would probably kill her family and leave her to live. Or turn her.

Turn her.

She almost choked on her saliva. Was that Damon's plan? Was he going to turn her? She felt her stomach turn and the blood rush from her face. Her heart started to beat faster and faster.

Why else was he toying around with her? From what she understood, he usually fed and killed. No survivors, except maybe Caroline Forbes and her. And Alice figured he couldn't kill Caroline because of his brothers' closeness with Caroline's best friend, Elena.

Did Elena know too? Alice suddenly felt an urge to find the brunette girl and ask. Because Alice wanted answers and if Elena knew, she'd give them to her. Alice suspected she would be more trustworthy then Damon.

Alice knew she was going to throw up again. She quickly gathered her things and darted out of the classroom, with the rest of the students watching her sprint out. As she exited she caught site of Tyler, who was staring at her with a quizzical expression. She turned away, embarrassed, and ran out the door.

She was halfway to the girls bathroom when she heard someone shout out her name. She stopped and turned around.

He was still a ways down the hall from her and was walking toward her quickly. Alice was surprised and stayed in her place, clutching her phone in her left hand. She didn't want this now. She didn't need this.

She was already mortified to be in his presence. He had purposely been nice to her because he didn't like her at all. It was backwards, and obvious boy logic. But of course, Alice had been mad a fool of.

"What?" she found herself snapping. Alice narrowed her eyes and took a step back.

"What are you doing?" Tyler asked as he came closer. "Why did you just take off last night?"

Alice pressed her lips together, "I had to leave." She studied his face. His skin was tanned from being outside, he had strong cheekbones and jaw line and of course he was fantastically gorgeous. Not so much like how Damon was. Tyler was more like a boy, while Damon was simply a man. Not a man. A vampire.

"You didn't have to walk, I could have driven you." He seemed a little pissed off at this point. Alice felt herself going in the same direction.

"I'd rather walk," She sassed back, tilting her head to the side with a mean smirk. One she must have picked up from Damon, because it wasn't very her. She turned on her heel and started walking down the hall again.

Why was Tyler out there anyway? Now that he hadn't won over Alice and instead of making her fall in love with him he'd made her hate him. So naturally, as a boy would, he wouldn't stop until she did.

But now, Alice was much too clever for that.

She knew what was going to happen next. She'd seen way to many teen movies with the Tyler type to know. There'd be a whole series of him calling her back, trying to apologize where she wouldn't take it.

But Alice also knew that life wasn't a teen movie. So when Tyler did call her name, she didn't turn around. She just kept walking.

---

After Damon had slept with Caroline, fed from her, then sent her on his way, he decided he was bored. There really wasn't much to do, Stefan was at football practice (side note: why?) and the house was empty. Who would he torment in these empty hours before the sun went down and he continued to work on his many diabolical plans.

Alice was always a plan. Now that he'd sort of gotten to the know the girl from their lovely walk home from him feeding on her the night before, he'd realized maybe she wouldn't be such horrible company before he'd make her sleep with him. He also noted it might be fun to corrupt the little Purity Princess.

She was feistier then he'd expected, coming at him with snappy comments in moments when he didn't think she'd even speak up. It made her a little more sexy to him. Almost as sexy as Elena when she stood up to him. Almost.

But Alice was probably having a mental breakdown, as he recognized her to have the night before and when he'd decided to tag along with her for school. Damon hated it when that happened. Of course, he could just use compulsion on her. But that would defeat his purpose of winning over the girl simply by his natural charm. Which he was going to do, he had no doubt in that.

Thinking about Alice made him hungry again, and he seriously started craving her again. He blood was perfect and he hadn't tasted anything so good for a very long time. He wanted her again. Actually, he wanted her underneath him begging for more, but that would take time.

There were a few other things he was planning for Alice, which made him very, very anxious.

He sighed and sat up from where he was laying down on the couch in his living room. There had to be something else to do instead of day-dreaming about his virgin pet. Perhaps he'd find Elena and try to get her all hot and bothered.

He decided on going to Mystic Bar and Grille to get a drink. Daytime drink were his favorite lately. He'd get nice and drunk and then some cougar hit on him, he'd fuck her, and then snack on her.

Fuck was his life becoming a series of drink, funk, snack. He needed another hobby.

When Damon got to Mystic Grille, although, he wasn't hit on by a cougar. Instead it was a pretty, blonde high school girl whose attitude reminding him of Caroline. "And what's your name?" he asked flirtatiously, tilting his head to the side with a wolfish grin.

The girl leaned against the bar next to him and let her blonde hair fall over her tan shoulders, "I'm Amelia, your dream girl."

He winked, then turned on his stool to face her, "Well Amelia, it seems that you are."

She giggled softly and sat down.

---

When Alice got home from school, she went straight to the medicine cabinet. She grabbed their bottle of Nyquil, and took a double dosage. It put her asleep in minutes.

She tossed and turned until Audrey entered the room and yanked open the curtains, letting the last bit of sunlight of the day stream into the room. Alice's eyes opened and she found herself in a hot sweat.

"Are you sick?" Audrey asked, stepping toward the bed and pressing her hand to Alice's forward. Her hand was warm, which Alice immediately contrasted the freezing hand of Damon. The warmth of her mother was comforting, and Alice longed for her mom to pull her into a hug. But that would never happened. "Your burning up," she sighed, sitting down the edge of Alice's bed.

"I feel awful," Alice replied. Sure she felt awful, but it wasn't physically. She was sick in her head. She was locked in her own personal nightmare. "What time is it?"

"Almost seven," Audrey answered. "Divya is here to see you."

Her mother got up and exited the room. Alice understood that meant that Divya was waiting downstairs. She sighed and pulled herself out of bed and yanked on a sweatshirt to go over the tank top of and sweats she had worn to bed. If she hadn't been "sick", her mother would have been so disappointed her outfit choice.

When Alice came down the stairs she found her Indian friend waiting in their entrance. Once Divya caught site of Alice she ran toward her and wrapped both arms around her. "I was so worried about you!"

"Why?" Alice sighed, then realized it was probably because she'd sprinted out of school and never answered her text message. "Oh yeah, sorry for never texting you back. I just felt really sick and-"

"Cut the crap with me Al, I know you aren't sick." Divya snapped, stepping back and leaning on one hip.

"What?"

"Of course your not sick. Alice if you were sick you wouldn't have made the trek down your stairs. And besides, you look perfectly fine. Except for maybe your hair." She chuckled, then her face turned serious. "So are you going to tell me what's going on?"

Avoiding humiliation and telling Divya, Alice shook her head. "Nothings going on now. I just had a mental breakdown in class about college. Things are moving really fast and I don't know, I'm just really stressed. Everything is happening at once…"

Divya's face hardened, "That's what you panicked about?"

Alice nodded.

Then Divya's face softened considerably, "Oh thank the Lord! I thought something worse was going on, like I don't know, a BOY!"

The girls laughed together, Divya's real and Alice's fake. Divya wrapped her arms around Alice and then took a step back and walked toward the door. "Sorry for such a short visit, but it is a school night and I have homework to catch up on. We'll talk tomorrow okay?"

"Of course," Alice nodded, waved, and watched as Divya exited the house and made her way to her car. Alice relaxed considerably and headed back upstairs.

Because as much as she tried to forget everything that was going on, she couldn't.

And every time she did think about it, she felt like shit.

**I hope the Tyler part makes sense. Because it did in my head. How now that Alice doesn't want any part of him he was EVERY part of her? Ha it's confusing but boy logic. Haha. Anyway I brought back some Divya and Amelia! And Amelia, she's always getting herself into trouble. **

**Bonnie, Stefan, Elena, and company haven't really made many appearances in here. But the main part will start to get going in a couple of chapters, where we'll really see Damon's and Alice's relationship develop. Because we alllll know Damon wants to do the horizontal hokey pokey with her. Haha, sorry...that was probably too dirty.**

**And OH MY GOD. New episode next week. I feel like we've been waiting for YEARS. Thankfully I've had Lost and old episodes of Glee to keep me busy. **

**Also, my other story is starting to take shape. But I think I really need a character name change. Originally it was going to be Effy, to honor one of the greatest Skins characters, but it seriously doesn't roll of the tongue very well in our American accents (I'm sorry if your names Effy! its my opinion...). So I'm contemplating other names. How does Sonja or Lila sound? Pretty different I suppose, but I have trouble writing with popular names like Katie or Alex or Rachel.**

**REVIEWS ARE AMAZING. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO REVIEWS EVERY CHAPTER. YOU GUYS ARE MY LOVES! **


	8. The Dark I Know Well

**A/N: Oh my god. I'm soooo sorry. I'm awful. I truely am. It's been for fucking ever, hasn't it. I didn't even realize I hadn't updated in so long until last night, when I freaked out. I feel so bad. Because I HATE it when authors take huge breaks. I don't have an excuse, except for that I've started working and schools almost over so I'm in that end of the year buzz thing. But really. No excuses. **

**End of Episode Three, Friday Night Bites**

Three days later, Alice found herself actually going to the football game.

Amelia and Divya decided it would be a fantastic way to spend their Friday night, and Alice had been dragged along to go.

Also, she figured Damon probably wouldn't hunt her out if she was in a big crowd. She made a mental note to never leave her friends' sides.

Damon had been popping in here and there for the last week. He'd fed from her twice since, and each time she started to feel more numb then the last. At first she'd try to fight him off, but that would turn him on even more. Alice hated that, so she'd just let him do it, because there wasn't any other way than to give in.

"Al, do you have any of that red sparkly face paint?" Amelia asked, sticking her head out of Alice's bathroom. Her hair was teased out and frizzy with red and black sparkles stuck in it. It was tradition for the girl Mystic High Timberwolves fans to deck out and fancy as they could get.

"Yeah, I think it's in the left drawer," Alice was sitting on her bed, pulling at her hair. She'd left it natural, as she had been for the past week. Looking perfect didn't seem so important anymore. She wasn't even wearing a sundress, instead a pair of dark jeans and a black v-neck t-shirt.

Her vocabulary was getting dirtier and dirtier every time she spoke. It seemed like Damon's profanity was rubbing off on her, along with the lies and manipulation. Her friends and parents had been noticing the change, but Alice tried to cover it up by telling them more lies.

Then they'd usually believe her.

"Alice! Answer your stupid phone!" Divya founded on the door from inside the bathroom and Alice finally noticed her iPhone was ringing loudly. She picked it up from next to her on the bed and found an unknown number calling her.

She took one look at the closed bathroom door, grabbed her phone and quickly exited her room into the hallway. "Hello?" she whispered quietly, leaning against the wall adjacent to her bedroom.

"Well hello Alice!" his voice was laced with fake sincerity. "And how is your evening?"

"Just peachy," she said dryly, loving down the hallway just in case they could hear her. "Do you need anything?"

"Hence the phone call," Damon replied with attitude. "But yes I do. I suppose you won't be going to the game tonight, why not drop by-"

"I'm going to the game," she cut him off. He was making generalizations of her again. "So-"

"Well that's a pleasant surprise," he mumbled coldly. Alice sighed to herself.

"Is that all you needed?"

Damon didn't answer at first, and there was a long moment before he said, "Oh never mind, change of plans. Looks like I'll see you at the game."

There was a pause on Alice's end as she thought about what she was going to say, "Looking forward to it."

"Sarcasm Alice Vreer? I like it. Sexy." She could practically hear the grin in his voice. She imagined him leaning against the wall and chuckling to himself.

She felt herself get hot at the comment and thanked the Lord that he couldn't see her do it. His comments were getting gradually more and more sexual.

"What are you blushing for?" Alice spun around to find Divya and Amelia poking their heads out of the door and staring directly at her. Alice quickly ended the phone conversation between her and Damon.

"Nothing, it's just really hot in here," she covered, then added jokingly, "It's your fucking hair curlers."

She watched as their faces flinched at the word. Inside, Alice was annoyed, but simply put on a happy face and pushed past them back into her room.

Now that Damon was going to the game, she'd have to have her guard up extra high. She was looking forward to just relaxing for once somewhere outside of her house, the only place she could truly be away from Damon's deception.

Divya and Amelia turned and followed her back into the room, obviously unsure of her new language. They looked at her over their shoulders before walking back into the bathroom. Alice could hear them whispering, and for once, she couldn't care less of what they thought.

They arrived at the Pep Rally before the game and Alice felt herself being drawn to the large crowd of football players by her two friends. Girls seemed to be all over the boys in their jerseys, although Alice wasn't sure why, since the Mystic Falls Timberwolves were one of the worst teams in state.

She spotted Tyler right away, standing next to his buddy Matt. She hadn't forgotten about his awkward attempt at trying to win her over the day after her first run in with Damon. Or as she liked the call it, the Night Her Life Ended.

Alice also ran into him the day before, he was at Mystic Grille alone late at night, and she happened to be running in to grab a burger before Damon ate her alive (at least, that's what she told herself). He had tried to be smooth, apologizing for all the shit he put her through. Thankfully for Alice, Damon walked through the door just about the same time. She snuck away easily. That was one of the only times she was thankful for Damon.

Amelia linked her arm through Alice's, in what she knew as an attempt to look bored. Amelia once told Alice that she always looked bored, which she translated to cool.

"Tyler's looking at us," Amelia whispered in her ear. Alice's eyes shifted subtly toward the football players again, and sure enough he was. Instead of joking around with his teammates and allowing girls to hit on him mercilessly, he was looking directly at Alice. "Do you think he likes me?"

"Oh definitely," Alice replied dryly, keeping her eyes on the muscular boy.

"He just keeps staring, you think he likes my outfit?" Amelia giggled quickly, looking from Alice to Tyler in procession.

Alice felt herself growing uncomfortable in the situation, and tugged on Amelia's arm, "I know he does. Now let's show him the back." She pulled on Amelia, and they turned, walking toward the bonfire.

"I didn't think it would be this cold out," Divya complained as the girls formed a sort of circle with each other. She rubbed her hands up and down her arms which were covered in goose bumps. Alice held her jacket out to her, but Divya shook her head. "That's okay, I'll suffer."

"I'll take it!" Amelia said quickly, grabbing the black Northface jacket from over Alice's shoulder and pulling it over. "It looks better on me anyway."

"Right," Divya replied with a grin, rolling her eyes playfully. "And I'm a whore."

They all giggled together and Amelia broke into a conversation about what would happen at the next Celibacy Club meeting. Alice found her mind wandering and she started to drift away from the seemingly useless conversation. Celibacy Club wouldn't matter in the long run, when Damon was undoubting going to kill her or turn her or something awful like that.

The pep fest started and Alice turned toward the stage. She immediately looked at Stefan Salvatore, brother of Damon who was standing on the stage a little away from Tyler. She noticed the resemblance, how both brothers were undeniably sexy. And of course, vampires.

She was at the point that she couldn't understand how people didn't know they were vampires. They were so perfect with everything they did. She felt like she could point one out of a crowd any day.

As introductions continued, Alice watched him the entire time. Was he like Damon, cruel and evil? Or was he a better person, if she could even call him that? She hoped for the latter.

"I need to pee," Amelia pouted, then shifted her look to Alice. Alice sighed.

"Fine, let's go." The two of them moved away from the crowd toward the line of bathrooms. Amelia immediately threw herself into a long story about how Divya was being so fake and that she 'couldn't stand to be near her for a single second longer'.

"The fucking line's too long," Alice grumbled, as she stood by Amelia in the enormous line to the single portable bathroom just to the left of the football stadium. "You think they'd have more than one of these things."

"No one comes to these games usually anyway," Amelia joked and even caused Alice to grin a little. "My GOD I need to pee!" She shouted dramatically and squeezed her legs together, which ended up looking like a little dance.

Alice cracked a smile as they moved forward in the line.

"Oh my gosh!" Amelia turned toward Alice with a giant smile on her face. "I forgot to tell you! Drama Club is putting on Spring Awakening? Isn't that _scandalous!_"

Alice suppressed a laugh. Spring Awakening was an extremely controversial musical in which the characters basically have sex on stage. Alice had heard the music a few times and seen a few clips on the internet and she had personally found it entertaining. But the idea of such things would terrify Celibacy Club president Amelia. "Totally," she said in an exaggerated voice.

"I'm thinking we start a petition, you know have all the students sign it? And you know most of them will, because seeing someone, my god I can't even say it, _masturbate_ on stage is ludicrous!"

"I don't think he's _actually _masturbating-"

"And I know I can get Principal Hilson on our side, his wife is in charge of the church committee-"

"Oh look the bathrooms free!" Alice cut her off and lightly pushed Amelia toward the door. "There you go!"

Amelia didn't say anything, just walked into the portable bathroom. Alice heaved a sigh of relief as the door shut. They had waited ten minutes to go to the bathroom, only to see that there was no one in line behind them. Clearly, Amelia had to go at the rush.

"Boo,"

Alice let out a tiny shriek as she felt hot breath on her neck. She spun around and shoved, knowing full well who it was that was attempting to scare her. Damon stumbled back only a little, but only to play along. He was grinning at her playfully and had his hands tucked into the pockets of his jacket. "Now Alice, didn't your parents tell you to play nice?"

"Not when it comes to pedophiles," She took a step back and folded her arms over her chest.

Damon took a step closer, "Come on _Al_, don't be like that." He touched her arms lightly and she felt a rush of cold air flow through her body. He was acting childish, almost like he was putting on an act.

"Amelia is right in there," Alice whispered, stepping back a half step as he moved closer again. "How am I suppose to explain Caroline Forbes's boyfriend hitting on me?"

"You haven't seen my hitting on you yet babe," Damon winked and took a gentlemanly step back. She knew he was only doing this now, and that at any moment he could flip the switch and become scary Damon. "Wait, is Amelia the annoying blonde one?"

Alice simply nodded, Damon made a face and disappeared quickly. Just like clockwork, Amelia exited the bathroom, "Oh ma god. Seriously. Can't they afford to have outdoor bathroom with a bathroom attendant? I swear sometimes our school is so poor."

"Why not outdoor heating too?" Alice replied sarcastically, to which Amelia agreed and started to rant in an even more excited fashion.

"What's going on?" They had started walking back and Amelia had noticed a crowd being formed. She took one look at Alice then dashed off, as Amelia looked the drama. Alice hurried along after her.

"Tyler stop it!" Alice watched as Vicki shouted dramatically after Tyler, who was currently on top of some kid, throwing punches left and right. Alice stepped closer, unable to comprehend what was really happening. As soon as she realized it, she was next to Vicki.

The boy underneath was Jeremy Gilbert, Elena's brother.

"He's down, enough!" Stefan Salvatore happened to break into the fight and grab Tyler away. There was a short tussle and Matt had to step in to tackle Elena's brother. Alice stood and watched helplessly, unsure of what to do.

Amelia was right next to her in a second, whispering, "Should I offer to clean his wounds?"

Alice ignored her as Jeremy and Tyler were pulled away. It seemed like lately there was so much blood being spilt.

There was too much blood being spilt. Alice may not have been noticing it before, it she did now. Damon and Stefan in town was causing people in Mystic Falls to be on their edge. Animal attacks. Love triangles. And Alice could feel herself being pulled into the eye of the storm.

She didn't know what Damon wanted, but she was sure it wasn't a life companion or a lover. Because if it were either of those, Alice would have been changed or undoubtedly sleeping with him.

Alice didn't know how long she could keep up the charade. Amelia, Divya, and her parents were dumb, but they weren't stupid. Especially her father. He'd surely know something was up. She couldn't keep wearing scarves and turtlenecks forever. Something had to change.

And she was the only one who could make it happen.

Confronting Damon was her only chance. She needed to know what he wanted. Why he wanted her. If he was just going to kill her, to get it over with, because this was _killing_ her. The pain was too much.

Alice felt Amelia tugging on her jacket. Alice turned and allowed the other blonde girl to pull her along away from the crowd toward the parking lot. "You don't look so good, Alice. Let's get you out of here."

She didn't reply, but permitted herself to be led away. Maybe Amelia was right, Alice needed to get out, she was going insane.

But she was sane enough to see danger ahead. Alice grabbed Amelia's wrist and held her back. She pressed her finger to lips as a signal. Ahead of them stood Stefan and Damon. Alice instantly recognized the tension of the situation, and tension between vampires could never mean good things.

Yet Amelia wasn't educated in that situation, "What the hell Alice? Let's just keep-" Alice slapped her hand over Amelia's mouth. She couldn't believe she did it.

She started to tug Amelia backward behind the school. Amelia finally obliged and allowed her to lead her away. Alice pressed her body against the building and Amelia did the same, though she didn't not know for what. "What's going on?" Amelia whispered with a terrified look on her face.

Alice felt herself try to come up with a lie, but she couldn't. "I know this doesn't make sense to you, but you have to trust me."

"All I saw was the Salvatore brothers, so I don't know why your so-"

There was a loud scream that shook both the girls. Alice hit the wall again, forcefully clamping her eyes shut and praying for it all to end. But Amelia wasn't so smart. She moved away from Alice and peaked around the corner of the building.

When Alice peeked her eyes open, she saw. "Amelia no!"

Alice knew what was going to happen.

In a second everything changed. Amelia stood next to her breathing and talking about materialistic things and the next, she was on the ground bleeding profusely from her neck.

Damon stood above her, blood dripping from his handsomely sculpted face like a rabid wild animal. She was breathing heavily, gasping for air. "What did you do?" she whispered, terrified.

Turning his head slowly, Damon looked at Alice. "You're just always in the wrong place at the wrong time, aren't you?" He turned around to face Stefan. "Anyone, anytime, anyplace."

He was horrifying. Alice cried out softly and felt herself kneel to the ground from the corner of her eyes she could see another body. She slowly lifted her eyes to find Damon holding his bloody hand out to her. "Are you coming? Or do I have to murder you too?"

Even though every fiber of her being was shrieking for her to protest, Alice reluctantly placed her hand in his, only to be pulled faster than she'd ever seen away from the school.

**A/N: Cliffhangerish. The story has officially begun. Just as the season had officially ended. Funny how that happens, isn't it? Haha. Anyway what about that season finale? (SERIOUS SPOILERS RIGHT NOW BEWARE!) When Damon and 'Elena' kissed on the porch, I found myself being pulled toward a Delena ship, because MY GOD that was hot. But when it turned out to be Katherine I nearly pissed myself. Honestly writers, that was fantastic. But I'm glad because I can go back to my Damon/Bonnie/Alice/Me shipping that I quite so frequently have been thinking about! Haha. **

**Anyway, not all chapters are going to follow the episode storyline. Personally, I want to get a few chapters ahead of this to where the REAL action is, but hey, that won't work now will it? I'll try to get the next chapter out next weekend, I've already got part of it written and lots of it planned. So, yeah. **

**Reviews last chapter were AMAZING. I bet we can beat it? Want to try? **

**You guys make me want to write! It's great to have readers like you. Anyway, I'm going to be posting the intro to my new story tonight (methinks). You can find it under my profile, because I haven't decided on the title yet. Haha.**

**I love you guys. REVIEW PLEASE!**

**Sorry this is so short. It's short of a filler. SORRY.**


	9. Make Me Wanna Die

**Hey all, so I know this isn't as long as the last chapter. But it's super important and I felt like adding another scene on to it would ruin the effect. So enjoy my fastest update (ever?)**

_Taste me, drink my soul_  
_Show me all the things that I shouldn't know_  
_When there's a new moon on the rise_  
_I had everything, opportunities for eternity_  
_And I could belong to the night_

_**Make Me Wanna Die - The Pretty Reckless**_

Alice sat on Damon's bed, staring directly at the ground and unable to lift her eyes. She couldn't see where Damon was, but she knew he was in the room. Alice could feel him around her.

She couldn't cry.

She knew she should be. Damon had just murdered her best friend. He had savagely attacked and murdered an innocent girl just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Alice didn't know why she wasn't dead. Why didn't Damon just kill her instead? Amelia at least had something to live for. She didn't know what was in the dark. But Alice, her life was destined to end tragically.

Had anyone found Amelia's body? And who was the other dead body? Alice didn't know. But she prayed it wasn't someone she loved.

She lifted her head and looked up. Damon was standing directly across from her in the room, arms folded across his chest. He had cleaned up, Amelia's blood was no longer dripping from his face. He was staring at her too.

Alice couldn't find words to express what she was feeling. She didn't even know what she was feeling. Sadness, anger, sickness. She wanted to scream. She wanted it to end. She just wanted it to all stop.

Suddenly she broke into tears, hysterical and pathetic tears. She found herself hiccupping for air. She was hyperventilating.

"Stop crying," it sounded like a whine. Damon sighed dramatically. Alice ignored him and continued to sob.

In a second she felt his hand on her head. Softly he pulled her face up to look at him; he was a mere few inches away from her. Alice couldn't look away. He reached his hand out and swiftly swiped a tear from her cheek. "Don't make me use compulsion Alice. Stop crying."

She wanted to stop, she really did. Alice tried to control her breathing, but it still didn't change the fact that Amelia was dead.

"Come on," he whispered, leaning his head closer to hers until their foreheads pressed against each other. She found herself settle a little and the hysteria stopped, "Good/"

He lifted his other hand and ran it softly through her hair. Alice settled there for a moment, catching her breath, just existing, not thinking. His hand against her face was cool and surprisingly comforting. She allowed herself to close her eyes and relax.

And then as if everything hit her like a bus, she snapped.

"Don't fucking touch me! You're a murderer!"

Damon's hand didn't move, but his facial expression did.

She immediately made eye contact. "You killed Amelia! You killed her! She didn't do anything and you fucking attacked her! Why her?"

He didn't answer, but Alice was building more rage, "Why are you hurting innocent people! They matter Damon! You've fucked with my life now stop fucking with other people! You're a monster!"

Damon's expression turned angry. Alice watched as he went from surprised to fuming. But she didn't care. She had reached the point of no return.

She felt herself stand and approach him. "You can ruin my life. You can feed from me, attack me, fuck with me. But you don't get to hurt the people I love. You don't get to do that."

She was shaking with anger and adrenaline. The words continued to pour out, "I can't keep this up, I can't do it; it's killing me."

The black of her mascara was running down her face. She was hysterical again.

"These scars," She pointed toward her neck, then looked away. "I can't hide these forever. I don't know what you want with me, but whatever it is, get it over with. Just kill me already, because I can't handle a second more of this."

She paused and lifted her head to look directly in his eyes. Tears were streaming down her face as she whispered, "I can't handle anymore of you."

Damon's head ticked to the side a millimeter and then his face started to change.

In a moment, he shoved Alice onto the bed. She landed forcefully on top of his black silk sheets, Damon hovered over her dangerously. His heat was radiating onto her and Alice found herself shaking. She was terrified.

His eyes were black and the veins running around them matched. His fangs were extracted and he looked furious. His beautiful sculpted face looked more menacing and horrifying then ever before. Alice had to looked away.

She turned her head, only to have it shoved back into place by Damon's hand. "Alice," He growled threateningly.

"Please," she begged, the tears continuing to fall. "Please just get it over with."

Her voice cut like knives through him. "Please just get it over with." Damon watched her. Studied her. Here she was, cowering underneath him. Begging him. Not like he had envisioned so many times before. No, she was breaking. She was falling apart at the seams. _Oh Alice_, he thought.

It was until now that he fully recognized her beauty, she was a porcelain doll, breakable. And all she wanted was to be destroyed.

Damon knew _physically_ he could do it., but _mentally?_ Not yet.

"No," he answered firmly as his face turned back to normal. "Not yet."

It wasn't supposed to affect him this way. He wasn't supposed to care about Alice. She wasn't Katherine. She wasn't Elena. She was just a descendent of those awful people who put Katherine in the tomb. That's what she was. Nothing else.

But there was something about Alice that intrigued him. Why else did he spare her? If Alice had been any other girl not connected to Elena, Damon would have taken her life without a second, or even first thought. Alice was, _different_. Even though she tried to fit in with those worthless teenagers at school, she wasn't like them. Damon saw through everything she did.

Alice may have been weak in comparison to him, but she was by no means feeble. That's why Lockwood was so attracted to her.

Oh Damon knew. How could he not? The kid was a walking cliché: Popular Jock desperately pursues Quiet Beauty who wants nothing to do with him. Damon wouldn't have even considered Lockwood having a shot with Alice, but yet then again he was a Lockwood. Those sons of bitches had ways with getting things done.

He'd have to talk with Alice on that. Or at least, mention it. Not when she was cowering underneath him. Not now. No, it would be fit for another time, when their playful banter was deemed appropriate.

She let out a sob and moved her hands over her face. She couldn't look at him. While Damon liked the fact that she felt inferior to him, he knew Alice had more strength than that. She was after all, _his_ pet.

He liked that he didn't use compulsion on Alice. Even though it was his true nature to use control, Damon really liked the fact that Alice, in a sense, was trustworthy. She wouldn't spill his secret, she was too clever for that.

While he liked Alice to be underneath him (he wished in a different setting, of course), Damon was growing tired of her moping increasingly. A single thought raced across his mind suddenly and a wolfish grin spread across his face.

"I can make the pain go away."

It took a few moments before Alice peeked at him from between her hands. "You mean," she paused cautiously, as if she could even say the next words. They came out in a whisper, "Turn me?"

Damon scoffed even more dramatically, because he suddenly was in the joking around mood. "Of course not. Don't be ridiculous Alice. Something else."

He rolled off of her and moved to lean against the headboard next to her. He waited for Alice to reluctantly move to sit up. She didn't say anything for a few minutes, and just as she brought her knees up to her chest she finally did, "When you say _take the pain away_ you mean-?"

"A little something I like to call _vampire blood_." He sang the last bit and gave her a playful grin. Alice didn't respond with a laugh like he expected she might. Instead she stared at him.

"Won't that turn me?"

"Don't unless you die with it in your system." He replied matter-of-factly. He turned his head to face her. "Besides, it's not permanent. Temporary. Think of it like a drug. It makes you _high_ for a while. The effect wears off eventually. But it's worth it. And of course I'll always be here with more."

He waged his wrist at her. Alice stared at it with unsure eyes.

Damon, ignoring her uncertainty and let his fangs extract. Then he bit into his wrist, blood oozed out immediately. "Come on Alice, take a drink."

"What will it do to me?" Alice whispered again, not taking her eyes of his wrist.

"Why don't you taste and find out?" Damon gave her a wolfish smile and brought his wrist toward her mouth.

Hesitantly Alice looked from him to his wrist. Then, like Damon knew she would, she pressed her lips to him.

What Damon had failed on telling Alice was that the blood was going to make her feel, well, turned on.

She was laying on the bed staring at the ceiling, giggling. Her whole body felt on fire. It was like she seeing things for the first time. Alice felt so out of herself, like she was a new person. She felt like those girls she saw on TV: sexy, beautiful, and always having a good time.

"The colors…" she gasped. "They're so bright." Even though it was dark outside, the colors inside the room and the trees outside had never looked so bright and magical. Off of Damon's computer screen and white light danced at Alice. She wanted to reach out and touch it.

Damon was sitting in his chair with his feet propped on the desk. In his hand was a bottle of whiskey. He was watching her with a playful smile on his face. She was like a child. A super sexy child, that is. "I know." He added lightheartedly.

"And my skin…" She giggled. He watched as her hands brushed across her body, over her face and her arms, across her stomach and dipped dangerously low to a place that was undoubtedly turning Damon on. "It feels like I'm being tickled nonstop."

Oh was he turned on.

But he didn't want to take Alice's virginity when she was high. No, she wouldn't remember it. She had to do it willingly and she definitely had to be sober. But that didn't mean Damon wanted her to stop. But still, he did not want her to stop.

"I'm so warm," she declared and started to remove her top. Underneath was a simple black bra. Her creamy white skin glowed in the moonlight. Alice turned toward Damon. "Do you always feel so hot?"

"Why of course not dear," he cooed playfully. Alice gave him a flirty smile. Damon was liking it. "I'm clearly cold."

Alice turned away, blushing furiously. She liked the feeling. Pushing herself off the bed, Alice moved toward the window. "I wonder what the sun would feel like," she thought aloud to herself.

Damon moved quickly and she felt his breath in her ear. It sent shivers down her spine. "It feels," he paused and his hand moved to her exposed arm. It moved slowly down. "Better than anything you've ever felt."

Alice turned her head to look at him. Damon got a good look at her. Her eyes were different.

The humanity was gone from them. All that remained was ignorance. Suddenly, he was less turned on.

He backed away and turned around. Normally girls who were flying on his blood made him want them even more. But with Alice…it just wasn't working.

"You were right," Alice settled onto the bed and turned to face him.

"About what?" he asked, looking away from her for a moment.

"The pain being gone." Alice answered. "I feel like I've never felt anything but happiness."

It took another hour for Alice to crash.

And when she did, Damon put her shirt back on her. He couldn't tell himself why. But he did.

He brought her back to her house, leaving her outside on the porch. He didn't feel bad about it. He wasn't invited in.

On his way home, he took a pit stop.

Elena's.

**Wow! Looking over this I realized how fucking short it is. I'm sups sorry. I've actually taken it upon myself to make updates longer now...but this chapter did NOT follow through. Anyway the next chapter will be super long. I'm not going to write chapters in line with all of the episodes, but a few I will. So obviously this one took place at the very end of Friday Night Bites. I saw it as what Damon did before he went and creeped on Elena. Haha**

**Anyway, I loved the awesome reviews. Even though we didn't hit the same as the chapter previous to it (16! WOOO), I loved how some of you leave long reviews. Seriously, I read everyone of them and love them all. Some of the hints you drop in the reviews cause me to get like serious jolts of inspiration. I actually had a different ending to this chapter that I wasn't quite happy with and after reading a reivew today I knew I had to change it.**

**No Tyler, or any other characters for that matter in this one. Next chapter is huge. Founders Party at Ty's house. Woopwoop. So you know there's going to A LOT of talk between Tyler/Alice, Damon/Alice, and Damon/Alice/Stefan?/Elena?. Hmmm. And when is the inevitable Caroline v. Alice showdown appearing? Well probs not next chapter. But I'm super pumped for that, let me tell you. **

**Also, my idea for vamp blood is like V from True Blood. It's one serious sexual drug, I'm telling you. Jason Stackhouse on that shit...hot and scary as hell. Anyway, you will definitely be seeing more of that.**

**I feel like I'm rambling. Am I rambling? Does it annoy you? Sorry.**

**Oh and I forgot to talk about the Spring Awakening reference last chapter. I didn't just throw it in there because I'm obsessed (even though I am). It'll be making it's way back with a big way in Alice's life. Wow, serious spoiler right there. Sorry guys.**

**This is too fucking long. Peace out bitches.**

**Leave amazing long reviews! They're my babies!**

**Love you all!**


	10. How to Save a Life

**A/N- OH MY GOODNESS I'M SO SORRY. I don't have any excuses this time. But a review I received yesterday really inspired me to finish this chapter up. So hopefully I'll get into my TVD groove and update this more. Because honestly, we all need some Damon during our summer break off. Enjoy!**

_Where did I go wrong?_

_I lost a friend somewhere along in the bitterness_

_And I would have stayed up with you all night_

_Had I known how to save a life _

How to Save a Life- The Fray

The next few days were filled with funerals.

First, Alice went to Coach Tanner's; not everyone showed up on account of he was such a dick, but Alice felt like she had to go. It was sad; mothers wept and his students stared blankly ahead. Alice had felt a twinge of sadness, but it was nothing compared to the feelings that would come from Amelia's funeral.

She had never been so miserable in her entire life. Not a single person in the church wasn't wearing black. Almost everyone cried as the preacher talked about losing someone so young and full of life. Students went to the front and told stories they remembered about Amelia that showed just who she was; beautiful with a promising life ahead of her. Alice could hardly contain herself, she wanted to scream that it wasn't an animal. She wanted everyone to know that Amelia was murdered, not attacked.

But worst of all, _he came_.

Damon came with Caroline Forbes attached to his hip. Caroline cried so softly that she would still seem beautiful but also tragically depressed. Damon seemed to comfort her sometimes, but mostly he appeared to be detached. Alice caught him sneaking a few glances her direction, always attached with a smirk, as if to say _we know the truth_.

Alice didn't cry. She couldn't. She was numb. Divya tried to hold her hand throughout, but Alice kept pulling away. She didn't want comfort, she wanted to go back to before she met Damon. Before he ruined the town.

The next week was quiet, no attacks, no midnight visits from Damon. Alice felt things getting better, especially with the town. Slowly, people found themselves pulling out of the hysteria. They would remember Amelia and Mr. Tanner, but no longer mourn. They town would live for them.

And naturally, events went on as per usual. The annual Founders Party would be held at the Lockwood residence. Mrs. Lockwood would not stop talking about how excited she was whenever Alice ran into her. It was almost like the woman lived for nothing but fancy parties for the rich of Mystic Falls.

Alice went into the city with her mother to pick out a bunch of dresses for upcoming events. Aubrey had actually allowed Alice to purchase dresses shorter than her average length, which surprised her greatly.

As Roscoe drove them to the front of the Lockwood's house, Alice quickly prayed that Damon would not be there and that she could have a drama free evening thinking only about having a good time. Of course, that would never happen.

She stepped out of the car with the assistance of a valet. She straightened her strapless pink silk-chaffon dress that ended a few inches above her knees. It was still sophisticated, but with a little bit of sex appeal. Alice felt different.

"Alice darling!" Her eyes moved quickly to find Mrs. Lockwood waving energetically from the front porch. Standing next to her was her husband, the mayor, and Tyler who was staring at her in shock.

Alice found herself smiling at Mrs. Lockwood and waved back. She waited for a moment as Aubrey and Roscoe climbed out of the car. Together, the three of the them walked toward the house.

Tyler ran down the steps swiftly and offered his arm to Alice. She took it reluctantly. Quietly she said, "You're being awful chivalrous this evening Tyler."

She knew what it was really for- appearances. And the fact that he wanted to impress her. Alice was tired of his efforts.

Tyler looked at her with a crooked grin, "I always help a pretty girl."

She didn't reply, only looked away trying to keep herself from blushing. Stupid Tyler. She didn't need this. She was dealing with a murderous vampire and two over-bearing parents. A hormonal teenage boy wasn't helping, at all.

Audrey looked from her daughter to the handsome young man escorting her, "My Mr. Lockwood, hasn't your son grown into a strapping young gentlemen?"

The Mayor chuckled, nodded, and agreed, "Got it from his father, I hear."

Mrs. Lockwood giggled and playfully hit her husband on the arm, "Oh stop it, Richard."

Alice subtly removed her arm from Tyler's and responded sincerely, "He's a real charmer." The parents all chuckled together, but she could feel Tyler's eyes glaring at the back of her head. She nodded to the Lockwood's, "What a wonderful party." And stepped beside them to get inside the house.

She had been to the Lockwood's estate before. It was one of the only houses in Mystic Falls that was bigger than hers, other than the old Salvatore boarding house. The thing about the Lockwood's is that they carried a feeling of entitlement. It made Alice sick to her stomach. Her family, while they acted superior, they at least gave back. Her mother threw herself into charity projects and other philanthropies. In fact, all of her mothers money made from her job was given to her own foundation- The Audrey Vreer Group.

"Alice, wait a second."

Pausing and turning her head over her shoulder, she found Tyler pushing through the crowd at the door toward her. She finally got a good look at him- handsome, toned, with a incredible jaw line. She was a sucker for good jaw lines.

His light grey suit fit him pretty damn well, too. She quickly realized that she was checking him out and moved her eyes back to his face, which was suddenly smirking playfully. "I knew you liked me Alice Vreer."

"Hardly," she sighed, crossing her arms over her chest, but allowed herself to show a half-grin. "You look handsome."

"Thank you," He replied coolly, adjusting his jacket for effect. Alice couldn't help but inwardly groan, but kept appearances on the outside. "Listen, I want to apologize."

"For what?" Alice's eyebrows furrowed together, surprising herself. She wasn't used to playing a role, she was usually just herself.

"I've been- well, I've been a total jackass to you lately. What with that thing with Vicki and pretty much hitting on you every chance I get. Look, I know it's annoying. So I'll stop. I just-" He paused, then leaned closely with a grin on his face. "I'm not used to girls turning me down."

Alice bit down on her lip, trying her best not to burst into fits of laughter. "Right. No girl has ever said no to you?"

"None," he winked. His eyes moved away from hers to her body, then quickly snatched back up again as he realized what he was doing. "Dammit, sorry. Not again."

Alice watched him for a moment, deciphering whether he was being serious or not. Deciding to give him the benefit of the doubt, she reached up and patted him softly on the head, "Good boy."

"Thank you." Tyler sighed. "That's such a relief. If I had to explain to my parents why the girl they are trying to set me up with is ignoring me, I'll never hear the end of it."

Alice frowned. So he wasn't _actually_ sorry. He was just keeping appearances. Lovely. "Oh piss off." She snapped, shoving her hand against his chest and turning around, stomping in the other direction.

For a half-hour or so she mingled with other party guests. But there was something missing. Her partner for these sort of society events. Amelia would have been at her side, giggling, making fun of the hideous dresses, commenting on the cute boys. Alice felt lonely. She felt like there was a part of her missing. Even though Amelia could be a pain in the ass, she was _Alice's_ pain in the ass and had always been.

She reached for a glass of champagne and suddenly felt a pair of eyes on her back. Thinking it would be some parent, she turned around, but was surprised to find Stefan Salvatore staring directly at her. He was holding hands with his date, and girlfriend, Elena Gilbert.

Alice felt a twinge of worry for the girl, who she presumed had no idea that her current beau was snacking on blood to stay alive. But then, she let it slide as Stefan tilted his head to the side just barely, motioning for Alice to go into the other room.

Carefully, she grabbed the glass and walked casually into the other room. Alice watched as Stefan kissed Elena's cheek and pulled away. When he walked into the empty artifacts room, he stuffed his hands into his pockets.

They didn't say anything for a few moments, just stared at each other. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't know where to start. Alice knew to keep her mouth shut.

Stefan was attractive, much like his older brother. As toned and fit as Damon was, Stefan was at least two times that. He was sculpted and looked like he belonged in a different century. Which, truthfully, he did. But unlike Damon, Stefan's eyes were filled with warmth, sincerity. He looked like he truly was worried about Alice.

He stepped closer, but Alice held her ground. "What's your name?" He cooed, as Alice believed, in his vampiric voice.

She was unaffected, which she presumed was from the blood she'd consumed from Damon last week. She'd taken a lot. Probably too much, and it seemed to still be in her system. "I'm Alice. You're Stefan, Damon's brother."

Stefan looked a bit surprised. "He didn't-"

"No, he didn't. Or, he doesn't. I know everything, so don't even bother trying to cover it up." She said lightly, taking a drink of the champagne and wishing it would take immediate effects. "He says its more amusing for him when he doesn't compel me."

Stefan noticed the scoff to her voice, he furrowed his brow. "You mean, that Damon doesn't erase your memories? He just, _trusts_ you?"

He was stepping closer, like he was planning on doing it for Damon. Alice knew Damon wouldn't like that. And she sure as hell didn't want it done to her, she quickly covered her tracks, "I'm not stupid enough to tell anyone. Who knows who he'll tear apart then?" She snarled the last bit, out of character.

Stefan took a half-step back. "Alice, you need to trust me. I can- I can make Damon go away. Forever."

She looked away, not believing him. "Please, Damon will find his way back. Then he'll just tear apart my neck."

"You have to trust me-" Stefan's hand grasped around her arm. Alice turned to look at him.

"Stefan? Are you in here?"

He dropped Alice's arm immediately as Elena stepped into the room. The gorgeous brunettes eyes warmed at the sight of her boyfriend. She turned her eyes to Alice, "Oh! Alice, how are you?"

"Just peachy," Alice said dryly, looking at Stefan out of the corner of her eye. "Excuse me."

She pushed past them out of the room, only to bump into a body coming out. She raised her eyes, knowing full well who it was.

Damon grinned maliciously down at her. "Excuse me." he said coyly, allowing his eyes to wander down her body. Alice glared at him before Caroline pushed him through.

"Honestly Damon, do you have to flirt with everything that moves?" she snapped, turning her head back to look at Alice. "Sorry."

Alice didn't say anything, just watched Damon's retreating back.

Taking a deep breath, she moved as far away from the room as possible.

Wandering on the grounds wasn't something Alice expected to do at the party. She was ruining her heels. She was getting mud all over her ankles. But anything, anything as better then being inside that house with Damon, Tyler, and the rest of the people who just seemed so intent on making her miserable.

Everything was changing. She hadn't talked to Divya in what seemed like years, even though it had just been a week. Alice felt alone. She didn't have any close friends. She had no one to talk to. She was isolated. Her parents were never the warm and cuddly types. Even Amelia wasn't close enough to tell her that she was being stalked by a terrifying vampire with a superiority complex.

There literally wasn't anyone in the entire world who she could express how she was feeling to. No one.

And that made her cry.

Alice felt herself break down. The tears started to pool down her face like a waterfall. She sobbed silently, and grabbed onto a tree for support. She was a mess.

All she wanted was to get out. She wanted to run away as far as possible and never look back. Her life sucked. Her life fucking sucked and there was no way for her to change it. She could never take her own life. No, she wouldn't be able to do that. Nor did she want to do it.

As she wiped away the tears, Alice looked around the tree to see Vicki Donovan arguing to a boy whose back was to her. She didn't even have to see his arrogant face to know it was Tyler Lockwood. "Let's go Tyler!" she snapped, grabbing his arm and tugging him toward the house.

Tyler seemed to want none of that as he whipped his arm out of her reach. In a fit, Mrs. Lockwood approached and Vicki stormed off. Alice watched in silence as his mother said, "That's what happens when you bring trash into the party."

He looked away, glaring at the ground. She continued, "Go find Alice."

Hearing her name being mentioned, Alice turned and pressed her back against the tree. If the Lockwoods saw her like this, they would surely tell her parents. And then she would never hear the end of it. Embarrassing them at a party. They would go berserk.

Reaching into her clutch, Alice yanked out her compact mirror. She quickly rubbed away any signs of mascara running down her face, put on some powder to hide her puffy eyes, straightened her hair, and moved away from the tree.

Tyler was sitting on the bench, alone now. He was staring blankly ahead, looking seriously upset. Alice almost felt sorry for him.

She reached down and slipped her heels off, walking barefoot in the grass towards him. He must not have noticed her, because when she sat down next to him, he jumped a bit, startled. "Sorry," she sighed, dropped her heels onto the ground with a thunk. "I didn't mean to scare you, I just- I heard what your mom said."

"What, about how I'm not supposed to date anyone but you?" He snapped, leaning back against the bench.

Alice wasn't offended. "You know, I get it. Okay? I get it." She began. "Your life, it fucking sucks. Your parents? They make every decision for you. You have no freedom. Your life is planned out for you, who you'll marry, what school you'll go to. Everything. To the last detail."

Tyler turned his head to the side to look at her, "So maybe you understand."

Alice allowed a grin to tug at the corner of her mouth, but she hid it. "Of course I do."

They didn't say anything after that. Just sat together and started forward, at the clouds. After a few minutes, Tyler's hand moved toward Alice's, intertwining his fingers with hers.

A half hour later, Alice and Tyler parted ways. They didn't say anything to each other, just moved their separate ways. Tyler went to find his friends, Alice to go find her parents.

Audrey and Roscoe were both extremely tipsy. Her mother and father were dancing a bit seductively with each other. Alice was mortified.

"Mom," she hissed. "Can we, can we leave?"

"You can darling, take the keys." She chuckled as her father twirled her around. "We'll get a ride home."

Her father tossed her the keys before they danced off. It was such a strange sight.

She had never seen her parents open up like that. It was, for lack of a better word, fucking weird.

Twirling the car keys around her fingers, she made her out toward the car, only to realize she felt her thousand dollar heels out back. She swore, and moved quickly on a jog toward the back of the house.

As she reached the bench, she grabbed her heels. But then, just a few feet away Alice saw something.

Damon was standing with Caroline. But they weren't just standing. He was attacking her.

In a fleeting second, Alice realized something. She wouldn't allow Caroline to turn into her.

Unbeknownst to everyone else, she sprinted toward them.

Only to get caught in the arms of Stefan Salvatore. He wrapped his hand around her mouth and whispered, "It'll be alright. Trust me."

Alice fell silent, because this time, she did.

Stefan and Alice watched as Damon crumpled to the ground, hissing. Stefan let her go and he walked slowly toward him with Alice trailing behind.

"I knew I couldn't spike your drink," Stefan began, "So I spiked hers."

Damon gasped in pain. Alice pulled her arms around herself. "What are you going to do with him?" She asked quietly.

"I'm going to make sure he never hurts anyone, again." With that, Stefan scooped Damon up in his arms and disappeared into the night.

Alice was left there with a crumpled Caroline passed out of the ground. She squatted down to find the girl starting to wake up. "Where…where am I?" Caroline gasped. "What happened?"

"Ssh," Alice cooed softly, "You're going to be okay. You tripped and fell. I think you hit your head on a rock. Let's bring you home."

Suddenly, Alice felt like she was turning into him.

Too many lies.

**WOOO. Ten chapters in already? I feel so proud of myself. But it NEVER would have happened without all of my lovely reviewers. Because, honestly, every time they show up in my email it brightens my day. NO JOKE. **

**So, still like where this is going? Something is starting a little with Tyler and Alice. And of course, Stefan's got Damon all locked up in that vervain room. Needless to say, next chapter will be intense. Yaaaay.**

**Hopefully next chapter will be up soon. I'm in the writing mood lately. So let's hope so? I'm ready to get things moving. Hell, Alice hasn't even kissed a boy yet. That needs to get done soon. So who do you think it'll be? DAMON or TYLER?**

**Guesses please!**

**And REVIEWS!**

**Love you lots!**


	11. Drumming Song

**A/N: Chapter Eleven! I'm on a roll lovelies! And we officially hit 100 reviews! Yaaay, so exciting! I just want everyone to know how much I love you guys for reviewing. As cheesy as it sounds, it truly makes me write faster. Especially long reviews. Man, I love those. Anyway, enjoy this sort-of light-hearted chapter!**

_There's a drumming noise inside my head  
That starts when you're around  
I swear that you could hear it  
It makes such an all mighty sound_

_Drumming Song- Florence + The Machine_

_

* * *

_

Alice leaned against the wall outside the latched cell Stefan tossed Damon inside. She crossed her arms over her chest and inhaled deeply.

Damon was sitting against the wall of the other side, staring directly at her. "Let me out Alice," he said, not so calmly. His voice was scratchy, like he needed a drink. Alice also thought it sounded like it pained him to speak.

He had been down there for two days.

Stefan had found her yesterday at school, wanting to talk about everything. Alice quickly agreed to come over to speak. It was mostly because she wanted to see what he did with Damon. It was her fourth time in a day visiting Damon downstairs. She wasn't sure why she did it. Maybe it made her feel stronger. Or maybe, just maybe, she felt a little bad for him.

"I'm more afraid of what your brother will to do to me if I do." Alice replied easily. As to be expected, she could talk to Damon easier when he was behind bars, unable to punish her for what she said. Dryly she added, "But otherwise, you know, I'd just love to let you out."

"Fuck off Alice, just let me out. Or else when I do get out, I'll rip you to shreds."

Alice shivered, knowing full well that he was right. He would punish her once he got out and he would get out. There was no denying that. He was Damon Salvatore, he couldn't be locked up for long.

Stefan walked down the stairs just as Alice stepped closer to the door. He looked surprised to still see her there, "Alice, you can go home. It's been four hours, he's not getting out."

She pressed her lips together and ran her fingers through her hair, "I hardly believe that."

"She's right," Damon added, sing-song. Then he stood up and moved toward the door. "Come on Alice, just give the door a tug."

Stefan ignored his brother and grabbed Alice's arms, turning her to face him. Alice felt herself catch her breath, she hadn't been this close to boy since Damon. It reminded her too much of when he attacked. She kept herself from shying away. "Go home Alice. You're safe now."

"No she isn't," Damon deadpanned, sliding down on the wall again. He was exhausted, weak, and he seriously needed blood. The second he was out of there, Alice would be his first snack. Even the thought of her blood made him weaken. And hers, her blood was sweet, perfect.

He watched through the tiny window as Alice smiled lightly at his brother and allowed him to show her out of the house. He groaned to himself and slammed his bed back against the wall. Fuck this. When he got out, there would be hell to pay. For all parties involved.

Stefan brought Alice to sit upstairs in their living room. He settled on the couch and leaned forward, balancing his elbows on his knees. Alice sat down carefully in the green armchair across from him, looking extremely distant and uncomfortable.

He sized her up a bit. She was very pretty, beautiful in every sense of the word. She was so innocent, so wholesome. That's what Stefan didn't understand. Why was his brother interested in the girl who just screamed Daddy's little girl.

She was very uncomfortable, he could tell that. She kept looking toward him, then averting her eyes toward the window or the rest of the room. He could tell she didn't like him staring at her.

Her blonde hair made her seem so angelic. She wore just a white sundress and a blue cardigan, despite the fact that it was getting colder outside everyday.

Stefan just wanted to understand. He had tried talking to her the day before when Alice first arrived to see how he was keeping Damon. But it was a very one-sided conversation- Alice seemed very concerned with the buttons on her sweater.

"How did you first meet Damon?" Stefan asked finally, bringing Alice's attention to him.

She looked so doe-like, her eyes widening in surprise. Quietly she said, "I- I met him in the woods."

A strange answer, but it didn't surprise Stefan, who had heard it all. "He attacked you?" She nodded. Stefan didn't really need her to answer that question. "And he feeds on you, frequently?"

"I don't what you call frequently," Alice's voice was gaining force. "He just comes out of nowhere. But he hasn't fed for a week or more."

Stefan was about to continue with his questions, when Alice spoke over him. "I don't understand him just as much as you do. Do I know why he keeps me around? No. Do I know why he never erases my memory? No. Do I know why he came to me in the first place? Yes."

He lifted his eyes to look directly into hers. "You do? Please tell."

Awkwardly, Alice looked away from him and at the ground. "I'm a virgin."

Stefan hadn't exactly doubted that. But he knew that virgin blood was the best type of blood, after baby's blood, of course. There was something about the purity that vampires craved. It was tantalizing. The forbidden fruit of vampires.

Not to mention if Alice's blood truly was that pure, that would make Damon even more attracted to her. She was beautiful and she was pure. That's why Damon strung her along.

But there had to be something else. There had to be.

"That makes sense," Stefan said after a while, reaching forward and taking Alice's hand in his he continued, "Alice, I'm not going to let Damon hurt you anymore. He's locked away and will be for the rest of your lifetime."

She looked at him with disbelief, "You expect me to believe that? It's Damon, he'll get out."

Stefan disliked her lack of faith, but respected it. She had dealt with Damon for far too long already. "I promise. Let me keep tabs on your anyway. What's your cell-phone number?"

They exchanged numbers quickly before Stefan glanced at the time on his iPhone. He sighed, then leaned back against the back of the couch. "Say Alice, you enjoy car washes?"

"What?" she furrowed her eyebrows.

(page break)

If someone told Alice a month ago that she'd be a cheerleader car wash outside Mystic Grill on a Sunday morning, she would have laughed at them. Alice Vreer hanging out with the popular cheerleaders?

But she was. She and Stefan arrived just a half-hour into it. She felt strange walking in with him. Eyes were always on Stefan, he was so handsome. So naturally, eyes fell on the girl walking beside him. Usually that would be Elena. But today, it was Alice.

"Sexy Suds care wash," Alice chuckled and they stepped out of her car in the parking lot. She crossed her arms over her chest, "This should be interesting."

Stefan returned her playful grin and stepped up beside her. "I can't say that I _don't_ enjoy it."

She resisted the urge to nudge him with her elbow as they walked up toward the stand where Caroline sat with Elena.

She seemed to be doing much better.

The night after Caroline was attacked, Alice took her home and quickly gave her some sleeping pills. How she was still managing to hide the bite marks was beyond Alice, who had to take some of Damon's blood to get rid of hers.

Caroline was lecturing Elena, who seemed to amused and annoyed at the same time. Alice never really had anything against Elena Gilbert, they never really spoke much despite the fact that their parents used to be good friends.

They reached them and both the girls looked at Stefan and Alice which a strange surprise, "Hey." Stefan said as a greeting and Elena repeated it enthusiastically. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his zip-up hoodie and they exchanged grins.

"Hi, Alice?" Elena said awkwardly, turning her gaze to the blonde girl standing next to her boyfriend. "How are you?"

"Hello Elena," Alice replied easily. "I'm fine, yourself?"

"Great, thanks." Elena sent a confused look toward her boyfriend just as Caroline disappeared.

"He needed a ride, I was driving by." Alice lied smoothly, giving Elena a smile. "Don't worry."

"Oh, that was very nice of you." Elena said genuinely, looping her arm through Stefan's. "He really needs to get a car."

"I have a car, it just doesn't work." Stefan reminded her with a flirty gaze which Elena returned. Feeling very out of place, Alice smiled at them both before slipping off toward Mystic Grill. She could use a burger for lunch.

But as she approached the door, she noticed standing on the other side a mop of long blonde hair. Her heart flew for a moment when she thought it was Amelia.

That is, until the girl turned around and it turned out to be some senior on the volleyball team. Alice sighed, held her head up high, and moved toward the door.

Leaning against the door was Tyler Lockwood. He smiled as she approached, "Good morning Miss Vreer. I do believe you aren't wearing appropriate carwash attire."

"Well aren't you a gentleman," Alice replied sarcastically, half-joking. "But I'm not here for the carwash. I'm here for the burger and fries."

Tyler, who wasn't wearing a shirt and was showing off his washboard abs, stepped aside. "Mind if I join you?"

"Your funeral," Alice said playfully as he opened the door for her and allowed her to step through first, before following. "Isn't there some kind of rule about no shirt no service."

"My dads the mayor. I don't think they are going to refuse to serve me." Tyler winked flirtatiously as they settled into a booth in the back.

It was as if they were starting over. Tyler was being less of a dick. Alice was attempting to be less difficult. Their moment on the bench sort of ignited something in them. They wanted to further discover what that was.

"Well my father practically owns this place," Alice laughed, so I could influence the waiter _not_ to serve you."

"Do try, I'd love to see that." Tyler said, winking again. Alice scowled playfully.

She was finding herself enjoying his company. Tyler Lockwood. What a strange new development. "Your mom visited me yesterday at the Boys and Girls Club site. She says you were feeling very 'disappointed' that you didn't spend time with me at the Founders Party."

Tyler sighed, "Typical. Budding into my business."

"If you think that's bad, wait until you hear what my parents told me two days ago." Alice heaved, "They told me that if arranged marriages were still acceptable, you and I would have one in a heartbeat. Then they told me they'd push it as hard as they could."

"Parents fucking suck."

"Agreed,"

They clinked the bottom of their coke bottles together. Alice found herself staring at Tyler's perfectly sculpted face. He was so goddamn attractive.

Not like Damon, but different.

Had she just thought about Damon? Was it the first time she thought about him in the last hour? That was refreshing. He usually never left her mind.

Alice's eyes moved from Tyler, who was staring back at her expressionless. She was unsure. "Don't you think this is weird?" Alice said after a while.

"What's weird?" Tyler had his mouth full of burger. Charming.

She sighed and set her own food down, "This. I mean, us. Our parents are pushing us to be together and here we are complaining about it, together. Doesn't that make us hypocrites? We're doing exactly what they want."

Tyler finished off his bite of burger and set it down. He reached over and grabbed Alice's hand, sending a shock wave through her body. "Sure, it's weird. It's probably fucking stupid. But we're doing it our way, not there's."

Then, reassuringly, he grabbed a french fry and tossed at her. It bounced off of her forehead and landed in her drink. "Hey!" she laughed, grabbing one of her own and tossing it at him. Tyler laughed and ate it.

They exited the grill together later, laughing about something Tyler had said. Alice found herself having a good time with the boy she used to find extremely obnoxious. Maybe he grew up. Or it was probably that he was growing on her.

She turned her eyes away form him for a moment to see that sitting on a lamppost just a few feet away was a crow.

Damon's crow.

Her stomach dropped and subconsciously she clutched Tyler's arm.

"You okay Alice?" he asked, stilling chuckling, but looking at her concerned.

"I-I'm fine. I just need to go ask someone something." Alice covered, then let go of him. "That was fun, let's do it again sometime, okay?"

She moved away from a confused Tyler toward the direction of Stefan. He was cleaning a car alone and looking meaningfully at the ring on his hand. He looked up toward her even when she was ten yards away. "I just- I just saw the crow." Alice whispered to him.

Stefan's face fell, then he shook his head, "He's just trying to summon you. Don't worry about it, he's still locked up. Give it a couple more days and he'll be too weak to continue."

"Are you sure?" Alice asked, worrying. She wrapped her arms around herself.

Stefan dropped the towel he was holding and put both of his hands on her arms. He lowered his face to hers, "Trust me Alice. Damon isn't getting out any time soon."

Even if she wanted to trust Stefan, Alice couldn't. Because she knew he would out in a matter of days.

"Okay," she replied, looking at him.

"Good." Stefan nodded, smiling. He let go of her and returned to drying down the car.

She decided to leave. She was tired and could use a nap.

(page break)

She fell asleep rereading the third Harry Potter novel. Reading Harry Potter calmed her down, allowed to transport herself into a magical world. It was Harry Potter that offered her an escape when she was so young and didn't understand why her parents wouldn't let her go out and play.

Reading those books took her back to a place in her life where everything was easier. She didn't have to worry about school-work, charities, or rampaging vampires out for her blood. Then again, there _were_ vampires in the Harry Potter stories.

She dreamed of rats and hippogriffs at a carwash. What a silly combination, but dreams always were.

Her iPhone woke her up. Alice, startled, sat up in bed. She reached for her phone beside her and found that someone was calling her. An unknown number. Deciding to ignore it, she tossed it beside her again and settled into bed.

Then she heard something.

A caw.

She shot up in bed. She darted her eyes to the window she left open to let a cool breath in.

The crow.

She practically screamed, shoving herself against her headboard as if that would hide her from the beast. As if she wasn't already spooked enough, her phone rang again. This time, is wasn't any unknown number.

Damon.

She knew she had to answer it. If she ignored it, there would serious consequences. She slide the green bar over to answer, "….hello?"

"Alice, how lovely to hear your voice." Damon's voice came off sarcastic and irritated. She pinched her eyes shut and tugged her covers towards her.

"What do you want Damon?" she whispered in the phone, cringing at the answer.

He sighed heavily, "Alice, Alice, Alice, _Alice. _I told you to let me out. And what did you do? You listened to Stefan. Now that's not something I can just forget."

"He would have stopped me anyway." Alice whispered, shaking.

"It's the effort that counts."

She was silent for a moment, then something dawned on her, "How did you get out?"

"Caroline Forbes," he said matter-of-factly. "She listened to the messages I sent her, unlike someone else I know."

"I-"

"Don't make up excuses Alice."

He almost sounded disappointed in her. Like he thought she would actually save him. Willingly, unlike the way Caroline did it. Alice felt like she stung him. And it hurt her to think that way. Here was a man- no vampire- who murdered her best friend in cold blood and she was feeling sorry for treating him poorly.

What the fuck was wrong with her?

She pushed off her bed to shoo away the bird, when she caught sight of someone standing underneath the tree under her window. Damon looked at her, grinned crookedly, and waved. "So," he began, "Are you going to come down here or am I going to have to you mind control on your parents to invite me in and then slaughter them in front of you?"

Alice just stared at him, hate filling her eyes. No, she didn't feel sorry for him. She hated him. He was a monster.

"I'm coming down," she snapped, pressing end on the phone call. She quickly grabbed a pair of shorts from beside her bed and pulled them on. She never slept in more than an oversized t-shirt.

She wandered down her massive steps slowly, hoping not to creak on any old floorboards that might wake her parents. Alice quickly went over the situation in her head. She was probably going to die now. It was the end.

Alice started to shake uncontrollably. She found herself almost unable to walk.

But she did. She made it outside in what seemed like hours. The walk to her death was the longest span in her life.

She opened the door and Damon at on her porch, leaning against the railing. His eyes drifted over her attire. He hadn't seen that much of her skin since she took her top off in front of him. But she was high at the time. This time, she seemed willing. "So," she whispered, shaking still. "Am I about to become the next animal attack?"

Damon's eyes almost bugged out. He was shocked at her word choices. Alice never failed to surprise him. Sometimes, she would be timid, terrified and weak. Other times, she would surprise him with her strength. Stand up to him in moments where even the bravest of girls wouldn't.

And that's why he replied what he did, "Of course not Alice, don't be ridiculous."

It was her turn to gape. "What?"

Damon took the step toward her. She backed against the door frame. Damon took the extra step, closing the distance between them. Carefully, he tucked a strand of her naturally curly hair behind her ear. Her heart was beating loudly and he could hear the blood coursing through her veins.

Alice was unable to speak, just staring directly up at Damon.

He too, had surprised her.

There were so many thoughts racing across her mind. Why hadn't he killed her? What did she matter to him? She betrayed him.

Damon leaned forward and so gently that it seemed uncharacteristic, pressed his lips against her forehead.

Alice's eyes pinched closed, before looking up at him through her lashes when he pulled away. "I don't understand." she whispered looking up into his light blue eyes. She saw something different in them, but she couldn't decipher it. Here was Alice, the girl who could understand anything, unable to realize what the look in his eyes meant.

Damon didn't say anything, but stepped away. He turned his back out for a moment, staring out at the moon. "So Alice," he said lightly. "Have you seen my ring?"

She shook her head, "N-no."

"Well, to make it up to me, you're going to have to get it back." Damon looked at her over his shoulder with a crooked grin.

Alice could do nothing else but nod.

**A/N: And that ends chapter 11. We're definitely starting to see a shift in things in Alice's relationships with Damon and Tyler. What are your thoughts at this new outlook on Tyler? **

**Some Stefan in here. Little bits of Elena. Stefan is kind of hard to write for me...not sure why. Hopefully he was incharacter. If not- I suck.**

**Harry Potter reference in there. I couldn't help myself. I'm on this rereading books thing right at the moment ever since I saw the trailer for HP7. Oh, and I cried during that in excitement. I'm super cool, right?**

**Oh and you guys should all check out my Tumblr! If you have one, follow me! There isn't much on there at the moment, but I put on little pic-moments between Alice/Damon/Tyler on there. If you guys want me to put some of those on my profile, let me know. Otherwise, most of them will be posted over there.**

**AAAAH TRUE BLOOD IS ON TONIGHT. I'm pumped. I need me some Eric Northman. (Oh and if you don't watch True Blood yet, you should. All TVD fans should. It definitely helps me with the lack of Damon-goodness in the summer).**

**LOOOONG ASSS author note.**

**But anyway all your reviews ROCKED last few chapters, so keep them up. Long ones? I love 'em.**

**REVIEW LOVELIES! I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. I heart you all.**

**P.S. - that (page break) means a shift in scene. For some reason my usual dashes weren't showing up, so I had to do that. Sorry!**

**Just a few more words to get this to 4000 words. Haha, I'm lame.**


	12. Eyes On Fire

_I'll seek you out  
Flay you alive  
One more word and you won't survive  
And I'm not scared  
Of your stolen power  
I see right through you any hour _

_Eyes on Fire - Blue Foundation_

_

* * *

_

With a loud sigh, Alice moved away from looking under Stefan's bed.

She couldn't believe she was going through his personal belongings like that. It was a complete invasion of privacy, she wouldn't even think to do it on anyone, let alone a vampire. She was doomed.

But not doomed from Stefan so much as from Damon, who was currently downstairs blasting music so loud she could barely hear herself think. She'd been spending the last three hours riffling through everything that Stefan owned, trying to find Damon's damn ring.

After digging through countless old boxes, Alice came to the conclusion that she was never going to find the ring. Stupid Damon and his stupid blackmail. Well, she didn't know if you could call it exactly blackmail. Damon would just torture her mercilessly if she didn't find it.

Alice sat down on the edge of his bed. Stefan's room wasn't much different from Damon's. Both had dark mahogany bookshelves filled with old titles, a large desk with a giant Mac computer, and a king sized bed with satin sheets. Although Damon's room did have a large liquor cabinet, which Stefan's room lacked.

She moved away, yanking her long blonde hair back into a ponytail. She was really letting herself go lately, her hair was rarely straightened and blow-dried, but rather left in its naturally wild and curly state. She looked almost Taylor Swift like- lacking the perfect curls and shine, of course. The old Alice would have been mortified being seen out in public like that, but the new Alice, tortured Alice, couldn't care less about being proper anymore.

There were far more pressing matters at hand than wearing the right dresses.

Alice walked toward the bookshelves and let her eyes wander along the titles. She would have loved to spend a day in there with nothing to do but read. Stefan seemed to be the type of man, no, vampire, who spent his free time musing over books and fantasy lands. At least, that was what she gathered from the titles of the books.

She stopped on the end as she found a titleless book. Pulling it out from the spot, Alice quickly realized that it wasn't a book at all, but a diary.

A pang of curiosity rushed through her. Maybe Stefan had written down the location of the ring in his journal. She quickly flipped through the pages, glancing briefly at Stefan's scroll like penmanship before settling on his last entry.

She skimmed through it, reading his ponderings over a certain brunette he seemed to fancy. He didn't even bother to disguise her name, Elena. But it wouldn't have taken a detective to know that Stefan and Elena were involved. They were smitten with each other, sickeningly. Even Alice, who had started to pay less attention to everyone else's social lives, had noticed.

But as she came to the end of the entry, something struck her as strange. There was a reference to another girl. Someone Alice had heard of once. Katherine.

Once again, Alice's curiosity got the better of her as she quickly flipped back a few pages to find an entry dated at the beginning of the school year. Her eyes furrowed together in suspicion as she read…

_For over a century I have lived in secret, hiding in the shadows, alone in the world, until now. I shouldn't have come home. I know the risk. But I had no choice. I have to know her. _

Alice kept reading, over the useless parts of Stefan complaining about Damon and his ways. He even side mentioned Alice a few times, something about that innocent blonde girl Damon was toying with. Alice scoffed at that.

She found another notable entry, almost gasping at the contents. This was too much.

She knew about Katherine, the woman who tortured both boys back when they were still human. She knew the whole story, about how Katherine was really a vampire and made both Damon and Stefan fall in love with her. Damon had told her all this once after he was done feeding on her and was in a particularly good mood. He was also drunk, which had a lot to do with it.

Katherine was the reason the boys hated each other. Damon blamed Stefan for her death. Stefan blamed her for turning them into cold monsters. It was circle of hate.

But what she read. It was shocking. Life changing, outlook altering shocking.

_At first, I could not look at Elena without picturing Katherine, imagining her sadistic smile creeping across those porcelain cheeks. But Elena is not Katherine. Elena is kind and compassionate, and she would do anything for those she loved, she would even do anything to save a stranger. But the resemblance is uncanny. And Damon can not get past it. I see him watching her, waiting. I won't allow him to hurt her. _

And falling out of that journal entry was an old photograph. Alice picked it up, gasped, and dropped it on the floor. The journal made a loud thud and Alice quickly scrambled to pick it up and put it away.

But not before staring directly at what looked like a picture of Elena in one of those old time saloons.

Yet, underneath it had the words _Katherine, 1964_ engraved.

Alice's stomach turned and she shoved it away, she couldn't look at it much longer.

No wonder Stefan and Damon were so obsessed with Elena. She was Katherine's doppelganger.

Alice wanted to puke.

- v - v- v -

She wandered downstairs a few minutes later, hoping to avoid a possible Damon attack.

Luckily, he was lounging on the couch with Vicki lying next to him. What was Vicki doing there? And why was she barely wearing any clothes?

Realizing she didn't actually want answers to any of those questions, Alice slipped past the two of them out the front door, into the sunlight. For the first time in the short time she'd known Damon, he literally could not get to her out here. It gave her a small sense of power.

A fleeting sense of power, as she would be the one giving back to him his ability to walk in the sunlight.

As she climbed into her car, she quickly typed in the phone number she had memorized a few hours ago when she first hacked into Damon's iPhone and gotten Stefan's number. He was, of course, stored at Douchebag, and it took Alice a few moments to realize who it was.

She pressed call, and waiting patiently for Damon's brother to pick up. He did eventually, on the last ring.

"Hello?" he sounded rushed, hurried, like there was something very important going on. "Who is this?"

"It's Alice," she said matter-of-factly.

"Oh, hi Alice?" confused, Stefan let out a loud sigh. "Listen, I'm really busy right now. If it's something important can-"

"It is important." Alice replied sharply. "I need Damon's ring."

"What? Not going to happen." Stefan shot back, sounding newly annoyed. "Alice, you know better than anyone that I can't give Damon his ring back. Not until he agrees to stop killing people. He's a danger to society. He will hurt anyone that stands in his way."

Alice did agree, "You seem to be missing the small fact that _he can still come out at night_. He's not on house arrest, Stefan. He's a fucking vampire. Like you."

"I can subdue him."

"Like that worked so well before." Alice shot back, finding herself entering bitch mode. She quickly softened, "Look, we both know that Damon is stronger and faster then you. Just save us both the trouble of dealing with him by giving him his ring back."

"You know I can't do that." Stefan sighed. "I understand where you're coming from, but it won't work. Damon will stop-"

"-at nothing, I know. Trust me Stefan, I know." Alice was referencing her murdered best friend Amelia, who was killed randomly by Damon so he could prove a point that he did not have his humanity. He certainly did prove his point. "But think about this again. What if," she paused, trying to think of the right way to convince him. Then, it hit her, "what if Damon went after Elena? He's already been invited into her house, right? He could hurt her. You know he would, if provoked. And he's been provoked."

Stefan didn't say anything for a moment, "What does he have over you?"

The question struck Alice strangely. How did you know that Damon would have something over her? Then again, Stefan was a smart kid. Or, smart vampire.

She ignored his question and put her Range Rover into reverse. "Just do it. Or give it to me and I'll do it. I'll say I stole it from you or something."

There wasn't an answer, which meant that Stefan was actually pondering the idea. Alice smiled to herself as she started down the street back toward her neighborhood. There were so many people outside, it was the last of the really warm days before fall really set in. Kids were playing in sprinklers in front lawns and dads were picking up the yard in case there was a random snowfall.

"I'm sorry Alice, but I can't do it. You'll understand one day." With that, Stefan ended the phone call. That dick.

Alice groaned and tossed her phone into her passenger seat. This was getting too difficult. She should have been spending her free time doing her homework she'd been neglecting all weekend.

Stupid Stefan and his stupid ideas. This would never stop Damon.

He would go after Elena if he didn't get the ring by the end of the night. Alice knew it. Then, he'd do something to her. Alice didn't know what, but she knew it wouldn't be pretty.

With a gulp, Alice turned her car around and headed toward town. Maybe she'd find Stefan and be able to convince him face to face.

Instead of finding Stefan, Alice wound up finding Elena.

They had talked a few times briefly in their entire lives. Sure, they spent a lot of time together what with their parents being close friends and on the founders council. But Alice could not tell anyone a single personal detail about Elena, other than the fact that she was dating a vampire.

She stumbled into her on the outside of town. Alice was planning on asking her where Stefan was, until Elena practically ambushed her.

"Alice!" Elena shouted, making Alice pull her car over to the side of the road to meet Elena, who was leaning against her own car, head resting in her hands. She looked miserable. The Elena Gilbert, who would look fabulous wearing a garbage bag, looked like a mess.

Alice slowly climbed out of the car, mouth open to ask Elena where Stefan was, but Elena beat her to it. "You know." she said icily, lifting her head to glare at Alice. "You know all of it."

Taken aback, Alice's shut her mouth instantly. She had never heard Elena sound so angry. Elena was the calm and relaxed one of her friends, the laid back everybody's buddy. Not the ice queen bitch. "About what?" Alice realized it was probably smart to play dumb, in case Elena really didn't know what she thought she knew.

"Everything." Elena replied coldly, pushing her body away from the car. Alice still didn't say anything. Elena could be talking about anything. She could be talking about how Alice knew about how Caroline was making passes at Stefan behind her back. Although, Alice knew Elena wasn't the type of girl to get so angry at a situation like that.

Elena continued, clarifying, "You've known all this time that it was Damon killing all those people."

So she did know. Elena knew everything. Vampires. Animal attacks. Murderous birds. Elena knew.

Alice knew she should have felt relieved that she wasn't the only one who knew such a ghastly secret. But she didn't. She only felt more on edge. "How did you find out?" Alice asked.

"I put the pieces together." Elena answered, crossing her arms over her chest. "It didn't take me long after I found a picture of Stefan in the fifties."

"Have you talked to Stefan about this?" Alice asked, pulling at the hem of her cardigan. "Because I think he'd be more of the person to talk to about this-"

"-I have talked to him, Alice." Elena cut her off, looking distressed. "And he's nothing but 'I'd never hurt you' and 'I was trying to protect you'. But what I need to know is if Damon murdered your best friend-" Alice winced at the words out loud, "-how you can stay with him? How can you not report it to the police?"

"I'm not _with _him." Alice corrected her, flinching at the thought. "And believe me, if I could get Damon locked away forever, I would have. Why do you think I stayed away when Damon was trapped in that cell?"

"What does he have over you?" Elena asked, stepping forward, reaching her arm out as if to comfort Alice. But she decided against it and let her arm fall back to her side.

Alice had heard that question twice that day. Damon didn't have anything over her, other than the fact that she was his precious little pet and portable blood bank. She didn't answer the question, just looked away from Elena at the ground.

"How long have you known?" Elena asked, softer this time. She must have realized her comment stung Alice.

"A while," Alice answered. "Um, have you seen Stefan?"

"I was just with him, he disappeared off into the woods. Why?"

"It's just-" Alice paused, thinking it better not to tell her anything about the ring or the fact that Damon was going to fucking kill her if she didn't get it. "Never mind. I wanted to ask him a question but he wasn't picking up his phone."

Elena didn't push the topic, only nodded. "If I see him, I'll tell him you were looking for him. Although I hope I don't see him."

"Thanks," Alice moved to turn away.

"Wait, I have a question." she paused, and turned around. Elena was pulling on her signature jacket as the wind started to pick up.

Alice nodded for her to continue.

"How do you deal with it? How do you sit with yourself and know that this monster is killing your friends? Because I can't even sit with myself alone for a minute without wanting to do something about it."

Alice thought it over, "I wish I could say you get used to it, but you don't."

It's a constant ringing in your ears, a constant fight in the back of your mind. Alice thought about Amelia every second, every moment of her day. Damon was a thorn in her side, more like a knife, constantly stabbing her, taking away her ability to breathe. She had bite marks covering her neck, hidden only by her scarves or the vampire blood she'd ingest to make the pain and the marks go away. Her life was now a relentless battle, struggling to survive.

"I should go," Alice said quickly, pulling her eyes away from Elena and looking toward the ground again. "I've got things to do."

"Be careful Alice," Elena warned, shoving her hands into the pockets of her jeans.

Alice didn't answer, or reply to do the same.

There was no way to be careful anymore.

- v - v - v -

Alice couldn't find Stefan. She had tried all over town, even searched through the woods for an hour. But the sun was setting, and that quickly meant that Damon would be out any time. Angry. And wanting his goddamn ring back.

She decided that going home wasn't safe, not if she was putting her oblivious parents in jeopardy. Even if they were acting like Alice was a plague, avoiding her and her new mood swings, she still wanted them to be safe.

So she ended up at school, sitting on the football bench staring out at the field. She pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her head on them. The moonlight glowed down on her, illuminating her blonde hair, creating a sort of halo gleaming around her.

It would have been fitting, had it been a few months ago. But now, it seemed ironic.

She bit the bottom of her lip. For the first time in days, she didn't feel the need to break down in hysterical sobs. Maybe she was getting better. Or maybe, she was becoming immune to pain. Numb.

Alice tucked a loose strand of her hair behind her ear as her cell phone started to ring in her bag next to her. She sighed, dropped her legs on to the ground and rummaged around for it. Just before the last ring, she picked up the call.

"Hello?"

"Did you get it yet?" Damon's cool voice filled the speakers, sending that familiar chill down her spine.

"No, if I did, don't you think I would have brought it over?" she whispered, even though there was no one around. "I looked everywhere for it. Stefan wouldn't give it to me."

"Of course he wouldn't." Damon replied icily. Alice imagined him glaring at the invisible being of Stefan in front of him. "I wish I could say I appreciate the effort-"

"_No you don't._" thought Alice.

"-but I really need my goddamn ring."

"I know," Alice whispered back.

"Where are you?" he changed the subject and Alice could hear the sounds of music in the background. Was he still with Vicki?

Alice didn't want to tell him. He could find her on his own anyway, if he really wanted. But if she didn't tell him, he'd come find her. If she did, he probably would go do his own thing. He liked having the satisfaction of knowing where she was or the satisfaction of Alice knowing that he knew where she was. Damon was twisted. Sick and twisted.

"Football field," she answered quietly, playing with the bottom of her sweater. The cashmere fabric felt soft against her hands. Alice used to covet the feel of cashmere sweaters, they reminded her of her life- expensive and well groomed.

Damon hung up the phone. Alice hoped that meant he was suddenly busy with something. But five minutes later, she was proved to be wrong when Damon appeared at the other end of the field, walking leisurely toward her.

As he neared, Alice caught a glimpse of the family ring on his finger. So he had gotten it back. He was only testing her.

Damon saw her staring at it, "Don't worry about it Alice," his voice was half annoyed, half amused. "Stefan returned it with a promise that you demanded it from him mercilessly. He seemed to think your ass was one he wanted to save."

Alice didn't say anything, just watched him.

She had seen bite marks all of Vicki when she was at the Salvatore boarding house. Which meant that Damon had probably fed quite often that day. Which also meant that maybe he wasn't hungry, and Alice and her cashmere sweater were safe.

Damon didn't sit down. He stopped just a few feet in front of her and spun around, looking at the scenery. The woods surrounding the field on all three sides, other than the school behind them. He stopped his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket and turned back to face her.

Alice realized her phone was ringing. Furrowing her eyebrows, she dug back into her bag and pulled out her cell phone. "Who is it?" Damon asked, his voice borderline aggressive.

"It's- it's no one." Alice lied, trying to end the call. But in a second Damon snatched it from her hand.

Anger spread across his face. "Lockwood? Why is Tyler Lockwood calling you in the middle of the night?"

"I don't know," Alice answered. "Maybe he has a homework question."

"No one does homework on a Saturday night except for you blondie." Damon insulted her, handing the phone back. "Answer it. See what he wants."

"What?" She gasped, taking it from him but shaking her head. "No- that would be-"

"-answer it Alice." Damon growled, his face nearing hers.

Alice nodded slowly, and slid the green bar to answer the phone call. "Hello?"

"Alice!" there was loud noise in the background. Alice assumed he was at a party. "It's Tyler!"

"Hi Tyler," she said, trying to sound natural. But she didn't feel natural, especially with Damon circling her and getting closer. "How's it going?"

"I'm glad you're awake!" Tyler called, it sounded like he was laughing. "I thought you might be asleep. What are you up to?"

"I'm-" She could feel Damon closer, his face close to her shoulder. He was breathing on her neck, even though he didn't need to breath, only because he knew it made Alice uncomfortable. "I'm just sitting at home."

"Oh, well, if you're interested there's a party at Kiki's. We're doing shots!" There was a loud cheer in the background.

"Sounds like," she paused, "Um, sounds like fun."

Damon chuckled in her ear. He whispered softly, "Tell him you're busy. Make him squirm."

Alice didn't want to. She wanted to go, to get away from Damon and be with someone like Tyler. Someone who understood her, had the same fucked up problems. Someone who had a heart beating in his chest. Damon egged her on. "I'm sorry Tyler, but I promised I'd go hang out with-" Searching for the words, she came out with, "I promised my parents I'd stay in and watch movies with them. Sorry."

"Oh shit. Bummer." He really did sound disappointed. "Oh well, maybe next time?"

"Yeah, next time." Alice agreed. "I'll talk to you at school?"

The conversation ended and Alice dropped her phone back into her bag. Damon walked around the bench and squatted down in front of her.

He didn't say anything, just stared deep into her eyes with a dark glare. Alice held back a shiver.

He tutted suddenly, and reached his hand out to rest on her thigh. Alice actually shivered that time. "Alice, Alice, Alice. How many times must I remind you that _you are mine_."

"I am not-"

"Don't even deny it-"

Alice, in a fit of anger, cut him off. "I am _not _yours. How could I be? You don't even like me. I annoy you. You murdered my best friend. The only thing you care about is my blood. Which I except is getting a bit old to you anyway."

Damon snarled.

Then he grabbed Alice by the face so firmly that it hurt. Alice winced in pain, but did her best to keep looking him in the eye.

He looked crazy with rage. A malicious smile crept across his face. "As much as I enjoy seeing you feisty like this, I suggest you don't defy me Alice. You've already done so once, and if you do it again. Next time, I won't be so nice about it."

Damon let go of Alice's face and backed away a bit, "So, to reiterate. You are _mine_. And the next time I hear or see that you were in the company of _Tyler Lockwood_," he spit out the name like it was garbage_._ "I'll rip his head off."

Alice felt like throwing up. She started to shiver again, pulling her legs up to her chest and hugging them tight. Damon turned to walk away, then stopped.

He looked over his shoulder, a wolfish grin on his handsome face, "You have a nice night, Vreer."

Alice shuddered.

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**A/N: Sorry that took so long for me to update. I guess I have this thing where I post two chapters really fast and then it takes a month or two for the next ones. I was just having a True Blood overload/obsession so far this summer. Eric Northman is a God, sue me.**

**Not too much Damon in here, just in the bit at the end. Hope that satisfied all your Damon lovers. And also a quick sorry to your Tyler lovers, who only got to witness him on the phone. He'll be in the next one, it is Halloween! (insert excited dance)**

**This is a sort authors note. I'm too busy to write anymore. Reviews are amazing! I especially love long ones!**

**Stay classy, readers.**


	13. Rabbit Heart

**I know it's been a while. I'll give no excuses, just enjoy!**

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_You made a deal, and now it seems you have to offer up  
But will it ever be enough? (Raise it up, raise it up)  
It's not enough (Raise it up, raise it up)_

_Here I am, a rabbit hearted girl  
Frozen in the headlights  
It seems I've made the final sacrifice _

_-Rabbit Heart, Florence and the Machine_

"Happy Halloween!"

Alice forced a smile as she adjusted the strap of her tote bag awkwardly on her shoulder. "Yeah, you too."

Divya grinned back at her, flashing her pearly whites enthusiastically. The half-Indian girl was holding a plastic bag in her left hand and balancing two coffees in her right.

Alice quickly took one from her. "Thanks Div,"

"Oh sure." Divya said off-handedly. "And these are for you!" She held the plastic bag out toward Alice, letting it swing back and forth.

Alice stared at the bag for a moment, "I'm sorry. What is that?"

"It's your accessories for tonight." Divya explained, turning away and opening her locker. Alice grabbed the bag slowly and peered inside, finding what looked like a white sheet and golden leaves.

"Listen Divya," Alice started, pausing to find the right words. "I don't think I'm going to the party tonight."

"What? You promised to be Athena! Do you know how foolish I'd look as Selene alone?" She frowned, throwing her locker closed and crossing her arms over her busty chest. Alice had always been jealous of Divya, because unlike her ethnic friend, Alice was barely a B-cup.

"That was weeks ago, and I'm just not in the mood for a party." _Plus, Amelia was supposed to be Aphrodite._ She didn't say it out loud. It hurt too much to even think it.

"What better things do you have to do?" Divya sighed, narrowing her eyes. "Because you never want to do anything fun anymore. I barely see you. We haven't talked in days. Why can't you spend the night with me and celebrate Halloween?"

Bluntly, Alice said, "I was going to visit Amelia tonight."

Divya's face fell. "Really?"

"Yeah," Alice stumbled, looking away and tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. She had be meaning to get out to the grave site for a while, but there were always people there. Obviously there wouldn't be anyone out there on Halloween. Everyone in Mystic Falls would be at some kind of party, either at the school or some random house party. Alice would have peace.

Plus, Damon would undoubtedly be somewhere else. Halloween meant an abundance of drunk slutty girls. His favorite. Alice liked it when Damon distracted.

Alice continued, "I'm sorry Div."

"I understand," Divya replied softly, taking a drink from her coffee, looking solemn. Suddenly her eyes lit up and she smiled. "Oh! I have an idea. Let's go together before, puts some flowers, talk to her for a while, and then we'll go to the party together! Amelia would have wanted us to have fun, you know that."

Alice didn't. Had Amelia been alive, she probably would have bitched at her for even _considering_ ditching. But now that she was gone, Alice liked to remember her differently. Maybe if she thought of Amelia as a kind, sweet hearted girl, the feeling that it was ultimately her fault for Amelia's death would pass. If only Alice could convince herself of that idea.

"I don't know, I haven't been out there yet-"

"-Ah come on Alice. It'll be fun. A girls night out." Divya gave her a comforting smile and placed her hand on Alice's arm.

Alice almost jumped at the touch. Divya was so warm.

She hadn't felt anything other than Damon's cold touch for days. Where his hands gripped her face still stung to the touch. And Alice had to cake on makeup the day after to make sure there weren't any bruises.

There weren't. Damon had made sure of that. She was only paranoid.

With a loud sigh, Alice agreed. Divya grinned maniacally. "Thank you Alice! You'll see, we'll have a great time tonight!"

Alice didn't believe her, of course.

She paused in front of the mirror, tucking a strand of the curled hair behind her ear. Alice felt just as she looked, _ridiculous_.

Divya moved behind her in the bathroom, shuffling through a basket of gold body glitter. She was dressed the same as Alice, except her dress was a bit longer and her skins was obviously darker, contrasting elegantly with the white fabric. A crown of gold leaves sat on her dark hair.

Alice turned away, back to see her reflection. Blonde. Pale. Circles under her eyes.

"Here," Divya said, moving toward her with a gold glitter pencil. She started to draw complicated swirls around her temples and down her cheeks. Alice wasn't sure what it was for, but she figured Divya thought it looked good.

Suddenly, she stopped mid swirl and turned away.

Confused, Alice furrowed her brow. "You okay?"

"Um, yeah. I'm fine." Divya mumbled. From the mirror, Alice could see that she wasn't. The Indian girl's face was scrunched together and Alice could almost see tears welling up in her eyes. Alice had only seen Divya cry a handful of times, she wasn't one to break easily.

But she didn't want to press it. She knew from the last few months that some things were better left untouched. That sometimes, people don't want you to ask them what's wrong and comfort them. At least, that's the way Alice felt. She didn't want to talk when people asked her what was the matter. Alice wanted them to go on living their lives, not caring a rats-ass about hers.

Alice turned away and walked out of Divya's bathroom toward her bedroom. Divya's house was much smaller than her own- they were just a simple middle-class family. It was nice, her house seemed like a home rather than a mansion to stay in. Her bedroom was cozy- a canopy bed with warm blankets, a desk with a moderate laptop, and a closet stuffed with clothes. When Alice was younger she used to love staying at Divya's. Her parents used to make them milk and cookies late at night when the girls were supposed to be asleep. They sneak down to steal a few and always got caught. Alice couldn't look back at those memories without fondness, because they were such a simpler time. Her whole life appeared ahead of her at that point.

Not anymore of course. And when she could have small moments of normalcy, like getting ready and gossiping with Divya, she'd take them. Alice learned that now. She couldn't shy away from Divya anymore. She needed Divya. She needed some kind of rock to keep her steady from Damon.

Damon.

Things were different lately.

She couldn't quite put her finger on it. But things were definitely different.

He hadn't fed from her in quite a while. He didn't make as many rude comments, he didn't threaten her. He was mostly, well, charming. Alice of course didn't find him charming, just a menace. But it was nice not to have him breathing down her neck every ten minutes. He was almost giving her space, as if to say, if you do as I say, and I won't eat your parents.

Alice sat down at the edge of Divya's bed and started to pick through her purse. She found her iphone and carefully pressed the home button, finding the screen light up. She looked immediately at her background picture- her, Divya, and Amelia at the Chastity Ball last year. Alice almost started to laugh at how different they all looked.

Especially her. Alice looked like a totally different person. Her hair was pin straight, she was wearing a pale blue gown and she was smiling. That was one of the moments Alice actually liked being in the Celibacy Club. Otherwise, she had hated it.

Amelia and Divya looked so happy. And beautiful. Alice always thought they were much more beautiful than she was. Divya was ethnic, she was almost racial ambiguous. Amelia looked like a model, blonde, skinny as a twig, and tall.

"I have to tell you something,"

Alice looked up to see Divya hovering in the bathroom doorway, her head hanging low.

Hesitant, Alice said, "Go on."

Divya pushed her hair away from her face. "I-" she paused, "It's nothing, never mind. It's stupid." Then she started to pace up and down the door, pulling her arms around her body. She stopped suddenly, then turned back to Alice. "Actually. I don't know. I just- I just need to tell someone."

Alice nodded, dropping her phone back into her bag. She wasn't sure what was going on.

With a sigh, Divya continued, "I have this theory."

"About what?" Alice asked.

"The animal attacks."

Suddenly it felt like a bus hit her. Alice looked up, wide eyed. "Oh, you mean you think you know what animal did it?"

"Oh come on Alice," Divya snapped, crossing her arms. "You and I both know it wasn't just any kind of animal. Look at the evidence."

"I'm not quite sure what you mean?" Alice didn't know what to do, other than to play dumb. Lying to Divya was easy, but she couldn't let her get an type of inkling as to what it really was. If Divya found out that it was vampire, Damon specifically, Alice wouldn't last one more day.

"Bodies drained of blood," Divya explained. "Bite marks. Doesn't it sound a bit too much like one of those crappy Twilight novels?"

Alice's heart started beating faster. She tried to stay calm on the outside. Of course Divya was on to it. Divya was smart. Smarter than Alice. She was the smartest teenager in Mystic Falls. It was only a matter of time before she started to put things together. "Don't you think that's a bit ridiculous?" Alice replied, touching the hem of her skirt. "I mean, vampires? They don't exist."

"Yeah, but-" Divya protested.

"-you're trying to justify what happened Amelia, from one random, savage attack to something of fiction." Alice spoke, the words tearing her apart as she did so. How she wanted to share the pain of what she was experiencing with another person. She had never wanted to do so before, but now she ached for it.

She needed to someone to understand.

"Now come on, let's go visit Amelia and then party the night away! Maybe you can even hit on Tyler Lockwood for her." Alice winked, reaching her hand out to Divya, who accepted it right away.

You're right, what was I thinking? Vampires!" Divya laughed, and Alice forced herself to join in.

Crisis averted.

(page break)

Alice sat on the ground in the grass, pulling up blades robotically as she stared forward past Amelia's grave. Divya was standing a few feet away from her crying. Alice couldn't quite bring up that emotion.

For some reason, being there, sitting next to her grave, it didn't have the same effect that Alice had imagined. She didn't feel sad and happy to be in her presence. Alice didn't feel anything at all. Like she didn't care. Like she was numb.

"Ladies,"

The air cooled almost immediately. Alice felt a shudder run through her. She didn't even need to look over her shoulder to know who was there. To know who was standing directly behind her.

Divya on the other hand looked over her shoulder. "Hi?" she asked, confused. She scrunched her eyebrows together. She obviously recognized him as Stefan's brother and the boyfriend of Caroline Forbes.

"Hi," Damon replied, wiggling his eyebrows and giving her a flirty look. "Not even going to say hi to me Alice?"

Alice didn't say anything, just swung her head over her shoulder. "Hi Damon."

"That's better." He winked.

"You know him?" Divya asked, directed as Alice.

Before Alice could answer anything, Damon moved toward Divya. "Wait- Damon. What are you doing?"

He didn't answer her, just put his hands on Divya's shoulders. His grey eyes twinkled as they bore into Divya's. "You are tired, so you're going to go home. You left Alice here alone and went straight home. And went to bed."

"I am sleepy." Divya replied monotony, a blank look spreading across her face.

"Good. Have a great night!" Damon said sarcastically, dropping his arms off of her. Alice watched as Divya immediately turned around and started walking out of the woods the way they came.

Just as Alice saw the back of the toga, Damon spun around and faced her, shoving his hands into the pockets of his leather jacket. He was giving her one of his wolfish half-grins, eyebrows curved in his typical fashion.

"You look particularly sexy this evening." He said smoothly, spinning a bit on his heels. He was antsy.

"Why are you here?" Alice asked, her eyes quickly moving toward Amelia's headstone.

He ignored the question, "That it being Halloween, a celebration of my _people_, I was thinking, _who would I most want to spend this glorious holiday with?_ And I couldn't come up with any answers other than little miss Alice Veer."

Alice sighed. This couldn't be good. Things were never good when Damon purposely sought her out. He wanted something.

"You're hungry?" Alice asked, looking away and grabbing the end of the fabric of her dress.

"Actually, not. I'm trying a new diet."

"Oh, and what's that?"

"Slut," Damon replied with a grin. "Sorry to break it to you Vreer if you were hoping for some hot action tonight, but I've had too much of the pure stuff for a while. I'm laying off of it for a while."

Heat rushed to her face. She was so confused. Damon was done drinking from her? What did that even mean? Was she going to be free? Was he going to let her go? "But you want to," she paused, as if to find the right words, "Spend the night with me?"

"Just me and my friend Alice."

_We're not friends_. Alice thought. _You murdered the girl who's grave I'm sitting on_.

"Okay," she sighed. Damon offered her his hand. Alice took it, reluctantly.

"So what are you supposed to be?" Alice asked, walking a few paces behind Damon. She couldn't help but look at him. He wore his usual white t-shirt, dark jeans, boots, and of course that leather jacket.

"James Dean," he replied coolly, winking at her over his shoulder. He paused, allowed his eyes to wander from her head to her toes and then turned away again.

Uncomfortable, but used to it from Damon, Alice pulled her arms around her. It was freezing. She hadn't expected it to be so cold outside. Besides, Alice had thought she and Divya would have been at the party by now. Not wandering the forest with Damon Salvatore.

They were silent, only the crunching of leaves underneath their feet added sound. And Alice's breathing. As usual.

"Athena, right?"

Alice just nodded and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"Nice choice. I'm more of a Dionysus fan myself. But I suppose the goddess of wisdom and war is respectable enough." He said matter-of-factly. "I remember an old legend-"

He paused, allowing Alice to catch up. He looked away as they picked up walking again. Alice looked at her feet, careful not to trip over any branches. As he started to speak. She was shocked- Damon didn't strike her as the type to be immersed in Greek mythology.

"Athens, at this point, was unnamed. Poseidon and Athena both looked to put their namesake upon it. Poseidon gave the gift of water, allowing the Greeks to have an open market for trade. He proved to be wrong, as the water was too salty for drinking. Athena, on the other hand, placed a single olive tree in the middle of town, which allowed for olives, oil, and wood. The Athenians named their city-state after her, and she has been worshipped ever since."

Alice didn't say anything for a moment, just shivered in the cold. "She was wise."

"As she was beautiful." He looked down at her. Alice looked back up, finding an odd feeling arising in her. She quickly shoved it away and turned back to the ground.

Damon was only trying to get something from her. It was simple as that. Alice knew better at this point. She figured, he was moving on from her blood. Onto something else. What it was, she didn't know.

Silence fell upon them again.

Until Damon spoke.

"She hated you, you know."

Alice stopped, turning her head toward him. Damon kept going until he released she had stopped. He looked back at her. "Who?"

"Amelia."

"Wait- what?" Alice crossed her arms. "What are you even-"

"She hated you Alice. She wouldn't stop talking about it." His voice became higher and squeaky, "_She thinks she is so superior. Alice, she's always looking down at me. She gets everything she wants. She is such a spoiled little bitch. I wish she'd just get run over by a bus_."

"I don't understand why you're telling me this?" Alice snapped, anger rising in her. "And how would you even know-"

"-because I was _sleeping_ with her." Damon cut her off, getting angry himself at Alice's doubt. At her shocked face, he scoffed. "Oh please, Alice. You didn't really think she was a virgin?"

"She was President of the Celibacy Club!" Alice protested, not believing him. "You were not-"

"-I was. And I've got the bite marks to prove it. Or, I would have, had I not healed automatically. She was frisky. And awful adamant of her distaste for you."

Amelia was Alice's friend. Sure, Alice was annoyed with her most of the time. But they were friends.

"Explain to me why we were best friends, then?" Alice snarled, taking a step closer to him. She didn't know what was wrong with her. She was furious.

Amelia was dead. When people are dead, you don't reminisce about the bad things about them. You glorify them. Amelia was a kind, loving girl. She wasn't one full of hatred.

"You weren't best friends. You hated her too." Damon snapped right back, stepping closer too. "And you should be _thanking_ me for getting rid of such a horrid person. She gives human beings a bad name. Sleeping with me, sleeping with Lockwood."

Tyler. Amelia was sleeping with Tyler before she died. Alice was starting to feel sick. This couldn't be true. Damon was messing with her. Trying to get her angry. "She was the one who told your parents about the wine in seventh grade."

"You're lying, you filthy piece of shit!" Alice screamed, shoving her hands against his chest. But of course, Damon was a vampire. He didn't stumble back like he should.

"I wouldn't do that Alice," he said, almost calmly. But his voice was foreboding. As if to warn that if tried anything like that again, it wouldn't be pretty. "You're lying to yourself. You hated Amelia. You wanted her gone. And now she is."

"Stop trying to justify that you killed her in a fit of rage!" Alice growled, restraining herself from slapping him across the face. "Stop trying to make me feel like it's okay that you killed an innocent young girl! She was a _person_, faults and all. Just because she may of disliked me or anyone else, that does not make it right to _murder_ her!"

"Check her diary." Damon said. He didn't snap back at her with another justification. He just stared back down at her, his eyes seemed to be diving into her.

"That's all- that's all you have to say-" She didn't get to finish her sentence. Damon grabbed her in a second and pressed his hand over her mouth and brought her in toward his chest, holding her tight.

Alice started to squirm. What the hell was he doing? He bent her head down, "Ssh. There's something in the woods."

She started to tense up, terror racing through her. Damon was scared, didn't that make Alice feel any safer. "What is it?" Alice managed to choke out after he slid his hand away from her mouth."

"Vicki, I'm trying to figure out which direction she went." He answered, looking over his shoulder. "Now shut up."

"Vicki? Why would you be scared of-"

"-I'm scared of her, I'm _tracking _her. And it's impossible with your heart pounding in her chest and you heaving out every two seconds."

"It's called _breathing_ Damon." Alice snapped. "Why would you have to track her? Unless she was dangerous, and a-"

Alice's stomach dropped. "A vampire."

"Ding ding ding. We have a winner." Damon chanted, still glancing around them. Alice wiggled herself free.

"You turned Vicki?" She gasped, grabbing her head. "You turned her. Into a vampire? How could you?"

"I was bored," he replied dully. "Now come on. She's at the school."

"You were bored? And the party? Where everyone is? You- you need to get her out of there!" Alice cried, pinching her eyes together, trying her best to keep her tears from falling.

Everything was coming at once. Amelia. Vicki. Damon. It was just, too much. "We have to, we have to-"

Suddenly she was hyperventilating. Alice couldn't breathe. She was heaving, clutching herself.

Damon reached for her, "Calm down Alice. Calm down. Everyone will be fine. Stefan, I'm sure Stefan's there."

Alice didn't know why he was trying to comfort her. She didn't know why he told her all that about Amelia. She was so confused. She conflicted.

"Don't touch me!" she growled, yanking herself away. Damon didn't reach for her again.

He let her stand there and catch her breath before saying, "Come on, we have to get to school."

With a sigh, Alice nodded.

(page break)

Everything was happening so fast.

Alice was thrown into the middle of the school, looking for Vicki. Damon was off to find Stefan. Alice kept her eyes out, trying to blend in. That wasn't too hard, being the nature of her costume.

There were flashing lights everywhere. It was dark, there were strobe lights. Everything looked green and blue. Her eyes burned and she had to keep blinking to see.

"Alice!" she turned over her shoulder to see Elena hurrying over to her. "Have you seen Vicki, she's-"

"I know, don't bother telling me." Alice almost snapped, then quickly softened. "Sorry. I just- I'm looking for her too."

"Gilbert, Vreer!" Elena and Alice both stopped.

Tyler.

Alice quickly blushed. "Hey Tyler," she said quietly, looking away toward the door.

He looked good, like he usually did. Alice found her eyes pulled toward his exposed chest, where his sexy abs practically shined next to her gladiator costume. He was so very attractive. And as much as Alice wanted to stick around and ogle him a bit more, she had to find Vicki. And fast.

"Excuse us," Elena said, grabbing Alice's wrist and pulling her toward the exit. Alice looked over her shoulder at Tyler. He looked confused and dejected. Alice almost felt bad.

She lost Elena in the crowd again and stumbled back into the party. The flashing lights were driving her insane. She threw open a classroom door and practically fell inside. Thankfully, it was empty. There were no drunken students fornicating on the teacher's desk.

Alice settled into one of the desks in the back and rested her head on the top. She grabbed the fake crown on her head and tossed it on the floor. It was scratching her head like crazy. And she wanted out of that stupid toga costume. It was riding up far to high on her legs and she really just wanted to be in her pajamas.

There were so many things racing through her mind. She couldn't keep track or even stop to think about any of them. She was lost in it.

She wasn't going to cry. Alice knew that. She was past crying. Right now, she needed to clear her head. But she could barely tell which way was up. At this point, Alice just wanted everything to go away, if not just for a little while.

But outside was Vicki, a newborn vampire probably on the verge of killing Jeremy Gilbert. Stefan was undoubtedly out there, trying to stop her. Elena was probably in a mess. Damon was probably watching from a distance, waiting until he saw fit to intervene. And Alice was sitting in a classroom, avoiding it all.

Maybe it was time she maned up and got out there. She was involved. There was no doubt about that. Damon made sure she was, what with his subtle hints to his various plans. Alice was part of it now, but all she could do was sit on the sidelines and hope everything turned out okay.

That was it. She pinched her eyes shut and pushed herself off the desk.

She was going to help.

Not for Damon or Elena. But for herself. She was going to, for once, end this thing by herself.

Alice stepped outside.

Elena was crying, leaning over a body.

Vicki.

Alice wanted to puke. She'd seen more than enough dead bodies in the last few months than most people see in there lifetime. It was all too much. She stumbled backwards, hitting the wall of the school.

Damon came strolling out from the behind the buses. "You should go," he said to Elena, "I got this."

"You did this. This is your fault!" Elena stood up slowly, her voice quivering in sadness.

"You confuse me with someone with remorse," Damon replied easily, staring down at Vicki's body. His eyes twitched just briefly toward Alice.

Elena moved to push him, much like Alice had earlier. Damon didn't move. In a fit of anger, Alice raised her hand to slap him. Damon only caught her hand. "None of this matters to me. _None of it_."

The words broke inside of Alice. It was like witnessing Amelia's murder all over again. He was so cold. So cruel. So detached.

And so very fake.

"People die around you. How could it not matter? It matters and you know it!" Elena snarled, on the verge of tears again. This time, she did slap him.

Damon turned back to her slowly. Alice hadn't seen him so angry. "You need to leave. You're wounds are bleeding. And you _need to leave_."

Elena grabbed her shoulder. She turned away, reaching for Alice, who was a few feet away against the building. "No, no, no." Damon shook his head. Alice stared at him fearfully.

Elena walked away. Alice stayed, pinching her eyes shut, praying. He was going to take it out on her. Alice was going to die.

Damon raised his head to look at her. She managed to look at him back. "She's right," Alice managed to spit out. "She's right."

Damon didn't say anything, put scooped up Vicki's body. "Come on," he sighed, and started walking off toward the woods. Alice had no choice but to follow.

(page break)

"I can do it."

Damon volunteered, standing under the porch light at Elena's. Alice stood behind him on the path, his leather jacket draped over her arms. She had just buried a body.

What was she going to say to her mother when she got home. What if Audrey asked her what she had done, why she was so muddy? Alice couldn't answer, "Oh, the usual. I watched a classmate die and then with my psycho vampire acquaintance, I buried her in the falls."

"This is what you want," Damon continued, stepping closer. "I'll do it."

"It's what I want." Elena whispered. Damon nodded and moved inside.

Alice stood at the stairs. Elena turned her head to see her for the first time. "Alice, why don't you go inside and get cleaned up. I'll be inside in a minute."

"That's okay." Alice said, turned on her heel. "I've got some place to be."

Elena just gave her a tiny half smile, Stefan nodded.

Alice turned around and started to walk down the street, on her way to Amelia's.

She had a diary to read.

**Sorry if that jumped around all over the place. The Haunted episode is just super inspiring and worked perfectly with the plotline, so I tried to weave Alice into it. Reviews are my love, especially long ones!**

**Also, sorry about the lack of Tyler in here. It didn't fall into place like I had hoped. Maybe next chapter or soon? I'll do my best.**

**But reviews are amazing! SO PLEASE do it. **

**I'm so thankful for all that I've gotten so far, you guys are my inspiration to write. Seriously. Love you.**


	14. Blackbird

_blackbird singing in the dead of night_

_take these broken wings and learn to fly_

_all your life_

_you were only waiting for this moment to arrive_

_Blackbird by The Beatles_

* * *

Alice sat on the floor in Amelia's oversized bedroom. Her hair was a mess, the hairspray from her Halloween costume was falling out, making her hair a crunchy disaster. She had changed into a pair of her own sweats and sweatshirt she found in the back of the closet. Alice felt strange at first. Taking the clothes from a dead girl's closest, but they were hers to begin with, which settled her stomach a bit. Somewhat.

But that didn't last long, Amelia's diary was spread out in front of her. It was huge, lime green, and complete with sketches and dozens papers falling out of the sides. In the two hours Alice had been reading, everything had changed.

With a sign, Alice flipped past a few sketches to the next entry.

_Dear Diary,_

_I've done it. I didn't think it was possible, but I've done it. Summoned it. I feel so alive. More than I've ever felt, even with him. It's like I'm whole different person. Someone stronger. Not feeble, insecure Amelia, but a new Amelia. An Amelia who will stop at nothing to get what she wants. And I won't. I never will. I've seen the way he looks at her, the way his eyes stay a bit too long on her. She's filthy. I don't understand it. She looks like an overgrown preschooler, with those baby doll dresses and sweaters. Why doesn't he look at me like that? I'm everything he should want: beautiful, sexy, powerful. I could give him more than she ever could. Look at me. Look at her. The choice is obvious. But now his choice doesn't matter. He will choose me. No matter what. _

_The Queen of Mystic Falls_

It was dated three weeks before her murder. Alice wanted to chuckle, the first time she read that Amelia addressed herself as Queen. But she quickly looked past it. There was something more unsettling. Her stomach dropped. The girl she was referring to was obvious, the description fit her like a glove (and she did not look like an overgrown preschooler).

Reluctantly, Alice read on. Through every painful piece of information, there was one common theme in every entry, The blatant hatred, specifically of Alice. It was making her sick to her stomach and her head felt light. She was dizzy, she was confused, yet She had her answers, but she still didn't feel any better.

Alice turned to the last page dated to the day of Amelia's death.

_Dear Diary,_

_I've set my plan into motion. Beautiful things are about to happen tonight. Things that I've waited so long for. I've waited years for this night. After this, I'll no longer have to pretend. I will reveal to the world who she really is, what she really is. A horrendous skank. She'll have nothing, because she'll be nothing. I'll be free of her and her torture. I don't know why I hadn't thought of this sooner. Tricking him into following her was easy. Just a simple spell to catch his attention. All I had to do was intensify the scent of her blood. How it was so pure to begin with, I'll never know. He was almost too easy to play. He thought he was playing me. But no, I was playing him all along. He thought he compelled me into his bed, but he didn't. I compelled him. I'm too alluring for any man to handle when she isn't around. She's always stealing everyone. But I won't have to worry about that anymore. She and her scent will be gone. And I'll finally have Tyler all to myself. _

_The Queen of Mystic Falls_

Alice wanted to scream. It took all of her strength to shut the journal and a few moments to gather herself.

Eventually, she grabbed all of Amelia's things and shoved them into an oversized purse hanging on the coat rack. Reaching underneath the bed, Alice yanked out the second box full of books and candles.

She couldn't go home, she was too worked up. So she set out for the only other place she could think of.

It must have been four in the morning when she finally got over there. It took fifteen minutes to get past Amelia's mom, who was in tears as usual. Alice spit out something about taking pictures to make a collage and finally was able to escape. It took twenty minutes to drive over the Salvatore boarding house from Amelia's place on the other side of town.

It took another ten minutes for her to gather her thoughts before scooping up the box and swinging the bag over her arm. It took her only thirty seconds to ring the doorbell.

It took Damon a second to answer.

He didn't say anything, only opened the door for her to step in. Alice looked at him, then down at her feet before walking over the threshold.

As he closed the door behind her, Alice turned around slowly to look at him. She was surprised he looked like hell. He obviously hadn't showered since they buried Vicki earlier that night. His hair was messy, his leather jacket was coated with dirt, and he looked visibly upset about something.

Damon took the box from her and set it down on the table next to the couch. Alice followed silently before sitting down. "You look like hell," Damon observed, nodding to her. "Nice sweats."

Alice frowned, "I was going to say the same thing to you."

"Brave," he said coolly, walking over the liquor cabinet and pulling out a bottle of whiskey.

"I suppose I can be now. Knowing what I know." Alice replied, a little bit louder.

"Oh? And what would that be?" Damon swirled the glass around in his hand and wiggled his eyebrows characteristically.

"You know," Alice said confidently, not taking her eyes off of him. "Don't play dumb."

"See that's where you're wrong Alice," Damon retorted. Whenever he spoke her name, Alice would shiver. This time was an exception. "I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about."

"Stop playing games with me Damon, I know she was a witch. I've got three spell books and frogs legs in my purse to prove it."

"No eye of newt?"

"God dammit Damon, stop playing with me!" Alice pushed herself off the couch and glared daggers at him. "I know now. She was a fucking witch. Stop trying to trick me. Stop trying to control me. Stop trying to make me think that I can never stand up to you. Because I can and I will."

Damon set down his glass, nothing bother to take his eyes off of her. Slowly, he took two steps in her direction, until there was only a couple of feet between them. His grey eyes bore into hers unlike before. Almost sincerely, he placed one single finger under her chin, lifting her face to look up toward his. Before Alice could flinch away, he spoke. "I'm not trying to trick you. Amelia wasn't a witch. She was just a mundane human dabbling in Wicca." The words seemed kind, but Damon's voice was bordering on dangerous.

"Then explain why all of those spells worked." Alice asked, turning her face to escape his touch.

Damon dropped his hand and tipped his head to the side. "Because when a human puts enough thought and energy into believing something, it comes true. She _believed_ she was a witch, so things started to happen. Wicca works in the way that if you try to hurt someone, it comes back to you ten fold. I suppose she got that."

"Are you saying-"

"What I'm saying is," Damon started to get annoyed, reaching behind him to grab his glass again. "That fine, I'll admit it. When I first met Amelia I thought she was just some hot piece of ass I could use and toss aside later. But she kept showing up. Every time I'd compel her to get away from me, she'd be there again later. Eventually I just tried to kill her. She didn't die, though, she ended up walking away without a scratch."

"She was obsessed with you." Alice repeated quietly, taking a step backwards. "She would do that. In seventh grade she followed Matt Donovan around for weeks until Vicki threatened to beat her up."

"She was fucking crazy," Damon agreed. He looked like he wanted to say more, but settled into the large comfy chair instead.

"That's all?" Alice's mouth dropped. "That's all you're going to tell me? You drop all of that on me and then stop?"

Damon looked up at her, "It appears to be so."

"God, you're are such an asshole." Alice scowled, throwing her arms into the air. "You suck, you know that? You suck. You suck. You suck!"

She expected him to toss her against the wall for that statement. But Damon merely shrugged and swirled his finger in the glass. Why are you asking me all these questions when you have the answers right in front of you. Read the damn journals."

"You think I haven't? I've been reading for hours. Of course I still have questions. I'm not helpless, Damon, as you seem to think. I just want the truth. I'm sick and tired of the lies. You know that they bring? Death. Ever since I met you, all I've been doing is lying. To my parents. To my friends. To myself. Death is all around me. And now I have a chance to get some answers. Some real answers. And god dammit, I will get them. There isn't much you can hide from me anymore Damon. I'll find them out. So it's either you tell me yourself or you have to erase my memory. Because I'm not going to stop. I'm going to get the answers, even if it kills me in the process."

Damon didn't say anything again. Alice watched, for a hint of agitation, anything. But Damon just stared at her. She couldn't read his face.

"This is useless." Alice shook her head. She reached forward and scooped the box up in her hands. She couldn't believe he was just sitting there. Alice, who had some feelings of, she couldn't even believe it, _gratefulness_ to Damon. Things she read in the journal. She had thought that just maybe Damon didn't kill her because she was in the wrong place in the wrong time. But if he couldn't even own up to it, to Alice of all people, maybe he wasn't worth it in the first place.

She was about to open the front door when a flash appeared before her eyes. Damon was standing against the door, blocking her way. "Move it, Damon."

Slowly, he reached out and moved the box from her hands. Alice stared at him, confused. He set the box down beside the door, and then his face broke out into a grin. "It's about time you grew a pair of balls like that Blondie."

"What?" Alice gasped, incredulously.

"Here's the deal." He titled his head to the side, wiggling his eyebrows slightly. "If you help me with a few errands I need to do tomorrow, I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Everything?" Alice pushed, still disbelieving him.

"Everything. Dammit Vreer, you drive quite the hard bargain." He said sarcastically.

"Fine."

He stepped to the side, opening the door for her. "Now, run along home. I'll stop by your house in the morning. We have a busy day ahead of us."

Alice gave him a wary look, but slowly moved past him out the door. Without her stupid box.

* * *

Damon shut the door behind him.

He let out a loud sigh and leaned against it. Alice Vreer. She was becoming quite the little pest in his life. Or his death. Whatever.

Damon didn't mind all that much. Alice was decent company. Now that he stopped drinking her blood, for purposes he wasn't really quite sure himself, he was seeing her open up a bit in front of him. And now that she _probably_ didn't hate him so much, Damon would definitely seeing more of her.

He liked to mess with her head. He liked to see her get angry at him and shout things. That's how he liked Alice. Not when she was cowering underneath him, terrified of the things he could do to her. He liked it when she was headstrong and threw everything back in his face. It reminded him of Elena.

Elena. Stupid Elena. She proved there was a point when being headstrong was too much. Trying to slap him like that again. Damon would never allow her to even try to lay a hand on him again.

That's why he liked Alice. She was reserved in the right times and then, when everything got much, she burst out and attacked like a vicious animal. Like him.

She would make a fantastic vampire.

Damon pondered the thought. Alice, as a vampire. She had the right temperament. She was beautiful, and vampirism would certainly heighten that. Plus, she was smart. She could hide it well, just like he did.

* * *

"I kind of, really, want to punch you right now." Alice mumbled, knowing full well that Damon could hear her. They were in Mystic Grill. Alice, sitting alone at a booth, sipping on her soda absentmindedly. Damon was at the bar, pretending the drown his sorrows in liquor. It was mid-afternoon, Damon had already paraded her around town, picking up random things that Alice didn't understand and spying on random people that Alice didn't know. They had ended up at Mystic Grill. Damon had said he wanted to get something to eat.

Alice only fully understood what he meant when a group of sorority girls from the university a few towns away walked in. Damon and the girls were at the bar, and she could hear them giggling and slamming their drinks down on the bar top one after another.

She couldn't leave. Because Damon had said he'd tell her everything _after_ lunch. Well, they'd been in the bar for over an hour already. And Damon still hadn't ordered any real food. He seemed to be ordering women, however.

Then she saw her mission enter the front door.

Bonnie Bennett, accompanied by an exhausted looking Matt Donovan and haughty looking Caroline Forbes. They settled into the booth across from hers.

Alice pulled from her purse her trig homework and pretended to be working on it. But really, she had her ears on that table.

"I think I'm going to order the club sandwich," Bonnie said.

"You get that every time. Why not try something different?" Caroline asked.

Alice quickly became annoyed with their conversation. Couldn't they discuss something worth her spying? Something like that stupid necklace that Damon was so interested in. The one that was hanging from Bonnie's neck.

Damon had instructed her to someone, anyhow, get the necklace. Sort of like when he threatened her for his ring back, except this time he was a lot softer about it. He had only said, "Get the necklace from Bonnie. It's mine." And he left it at that.

Alice glanced up from her paper to their table.

Where they were all staring at her.

Alice blushed and turned away. She heard Matt whisper, "Why don't we ask her to sit with us?"

"Why? It's just Alice, she usually sits alone." That was clearly Caroline.

"Don't be so bitchy Care," Bonnie hissed. "Hey, um Alice! Why don't you come sit with us?"

Alice looked up and over at them, hoping to look a little less pathetic. "Oh, um, well I'm studying so, that's okay. But thanks for the offer."

"No, seriously. Come sit with us! We can help." Matt smiled at her sweetly. Alice furrowed her eyebrows. Why were they being so nice to her? They were never nice to her, except in school. They'd talk to her once in a while, but then they'd just go off with their other friends.

Actually, it would help her get closer to Bonnie. Maybe she'd let her look at the necklace and then Alice would be able to slip away with it. "Alight, sure." she sighed, flashing them a small smile.

Caroline, who looked pissed, scooted over in the booth. Alice slid in, and ended up across from Bonnie, who was smiling at her. "So, Alice, how have you been? I feel like we haven't talked in years!"

"Yeah, it has been a long time." Alice replied awkwardly, eyeing the necklace. God, why was she being so obvious? Alice wasn't this socially awkward. She was usually fine. She was being so stupid. Alice took a deep breath and looked up. "I'm good, things have been getting better, slowly."

They all nodded, understanding. "It's hard." Bonnie nodded, looking down at the table.

"Um, well. How are you all?" Alice asked looking at Caroline and Matt. "I heard you were nominated for Winter Court?"

Winter Court, a stupid tradition if you asked Alice, was a council of students who planned school activities like dances and fundraisers. It was pretty much the exact same thing as Student Council, except they used it as a class.

Caroline nodded, "Yeah, although they let just about anyone in. I mean, nominating Divya? Seriously?"

"Caroline! That was rude!" Bonnie interjected.

Alice felt herself get heated, but looked away. Caroline Forbes was just a catty little brat, who had to cut people down to feel better about herself. But Alice couldn't give her anything back. She had a task at hand.

"Oh my gosh Bonnie I love your necklace!" Alice gasped. "Where is it from?"

"It was gift." Bonnie placed her hand over it. "From Caroline."

"Yeah, and I want it back." Caroline snapped.

"You gave it to me. Besides, Gran says it's-" she paused, looked away and cleared her throat. "Never mind. It's just mine now."

"Whatever." Caroline huffed.

Matt raised his eyebrows, "Well, now that this conversation has completely gone girly, I'm going to go find Ty. He said he'd be here by now. See you later."

He moved away from the table. Alice peaked over shoulder to see Tyler walk through the door. Lovely. She hadn't felt so overwhelmed by people since Amelia's funeral.

"I'm going to run to the bathroom." Bonnie said slowly, looking from Caroline to Alice. "Excuse me."

As the black girl slipped away, Alice and Caroline sat uncomfortable next to each other.

"You know, I'm just gonna go." Alice said, not handling the tension. She too, moved away from the booth. Alice paused as she walked away, spotting Damon at the bar.

He turned over his shoulder to look at her. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Let's go." she mumbled. "You promised you tell me everything."

Damon just titled his head toward the bathroom, as if to say, go there first. Alice didn't know why he couldn't just do it himself. "Fine," she muttered and brushed past him toward the ladies room.

She slowly entered the restroom, peaking her head in first. Thankfully, there wasn't anyone else in there. Except for Bonnie. Who was staring into the mirror, holding the necklace.

"Are you okay?" Alice asked, moving forward cautiously. "You sort of bolted out of there."

"I'm okay." Bonnie said confidently, sounding like she was trying to convince herself more than anyone else. "Thanks for checking on me, but I'm fine."

"Oh, okay. Good. Listen, sorry if bringing up that necklace caused tension between you and Caroline, I didn't mean to."

Bonnie laughed, "Don't worry about. There is always tension with Caroline. That's just who she is. She doesn't understand that policy that you don't ask for gifts back. I'm just teaching her a lesson."

Alice then realized that Damon must have compelled Caroline to get the necklace too.

"Alice, if I tell you something, will you promise not to tell anyone?"

Alice, who figured she was close to getting that necklace into her hands, nodded.

"Okay, well, um, Caroline was dating this guy, Damon Salvatore. I don't know if you know him-"

"-I do. Trust me." Alice rolled her eyes, knowing full well that Damon was listening.

"Okay, well, he sort of abused her. And then he gave her this necklace. And I figure he only wants it back because Caroline gave it to me. So he's trying to get her to get it back, because she's scared he'll hurt her again. But I can't just give it to her. It's-" she paused, holding back. "It rightfully belongs to my family."

Alice wasn't really sure how to respond to that. "Oh, that's weird."

"I know." Bonnie agreed. "Listen, I'm sorry I dumped that out on you. I just needed to tell someone, and Elena is MIA, so…"

"It's fine, don't worry Bonnie. I won't tell anyone." _Except Damon, of course._

"Great, thank you Alice!" Suddenly Bonnie threw her arms around Alice. Awkwardly, Alice patted her back. So she wasn't getting the necklace yet.

But Damon still owed her answers. So she was going to demand them.

* * *

**So there were a few answers here. Not that many. This took forever. I have a busy life, and I have no muse for this whatsoever at the moment. I'll try my best. But I can't promise anything. Reviews rock my world and long reviews usually inspire me to write. Love you all!**


	15. Caring Is Creepy

**Author's Note: **No excuses. I lost all inspiration for this story. But these last new episodes have been so fucking perfect, that I've found my muse again. Let's hope it stays around for a while this time.

* * *

_hold your glass up, hold it in_

_never betray the way you've always known it is_

_one day i'll be wondering how_

_i got so old just wondering how_

_i never got cold wearing nothing in the snow_

**caring is creepy - the shins**

* * *

Head held remotely high, Alice strutted out of the restroom. She had her sights set on Damon and his bimbos at the bar. While he sat there, laughing and drinking and drinking and laughing, Alice could see through his façade. Damon wasn't drunk. He was just putting on an act. An act that would mask who he truly was to the rest of the world. Blending in.

She rolled her eyes. He was almost pathetic, in Alice's eyes. Damon was good looking, there was no dying that, but he was acting like those ridiculous school girls who dumbed themselves down for a guys attention. Alice hated those girls. She never understood them. But Damon was smart. So he must have had an angle. He always had an angle.

Her line of sight was suddenly interrupted. She raised her eyes, only to be met with the warm eyes of one Tyler Lockwood. He was grinning down at her, with that lazy and charming grin of his. The lines of his face, strong cheekbones and sculpted jaw line, caught her attention. She was closer to Tyler than she had really ever been.

"Hi Tyler," she said, breathless. She quickly realized how idiotic she must have sounded, like one of the sluts accompanying Damon. "I haven't seen you in a while."

Tyler didn't reply to that, "Are you coming to Caroline's party tonight?"

"Erm, I wasn't planning on it. Maybe." she offered, looking up at him and blushing.

"You should, I'll be there." Tyler replied, smiling and giving her a wink. "I'd really like to hang out with you sometime Vreer."

Alice bit her lip and looked down at the floor. If someone had told her two months ago that Tyler Lockwood would be asking her out, (subtly, of course) she would have laughed. Maybe blushed. But there was no way she'd have believed them. The thought would have been outrageous. "Yeah, I might come. We'll see if I have plans." she paused as she looked back up to see his face. He was grinning down at her with eyes that made Alice just about swoon.

"You'd better, I'll be looking for you!" with that Tyler backed away and gave her a final wave. Alice bit her lip, holding back a smile.

With one last crooked grin, Tyler back up and retreated to the pool table, where Matt Donovan stood watching. Alice stood there, confused, staring at the spot where Tyler had just filled. Did that just happen?

Her thoughts were interrupted once more. Alice looked from the corner of her eye to see Damon pushing himself off the stool. He made his way over to her as he slung his leather jacket back on. "Took you long enough." she said, glaring at him.

"You kept yourself pretty busy, as far as I could tell." Damon replied easily, extending his arm out to her. Alice rolled her eyes at him and pushed past him.

They climbed into her Range Rover, parked in the back of the lot. Alice slid into the drivers seat, and turned to stare at him without even turning on the ignition. "So, are you going to tell me the rest of the story or not?"

Damon took his time climbing into the car, buckling his seat belt and getting comfortable. Alice glared at him. "Oh, I'm sorry, were you in a hurry?"

"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Alice snapped, turning the car on and fastening her own seatbelt.

"Of course I am!" he practically cheered. "Great things are about to be set into motion tonight. You no longer hate me, which is a great feeling. Alice, I'm finding this new friendship to have great benefits."

"Partnership. Not friendship. We aren't friends. And as far as you know, I still hate you. You still murdered someone, two someones in front of me." Alice backed the car out of the Grill's parking lot and out onto the main road. She wasn't really sure where she was going, but she started toward the Salvatore Boarding House.

"Actually, that's one piece of the story that you're missing." Damon replied. "And I hope be a lot nicer to me if you want to hear it."

"Come on Damon, I tried to get close to Bonnie for you and you know I'll keep trying. Just start telling the story!"

"But I'm not in the mood." Damon gave her a flirty wink.

"Damon. Please."

Stopped at the stoplight, Alice turned to look at him, her eyes wide and pleading. Damon just looked at her, the smirk falling from his face. For the first time, he noticed the specks of green in her otherwise bark-brown eyes. Alice, for the first time herself, found warmth in his eyes.

"Oh," Alice gasped, looking away quickly and driving up the road. She didn't say anything, but tried her best not to blush. She couldn't believe herself looking at him like that, this was Damon, not some wide-eyed kind of teenage boy. Damon was older, much older. And even if he wasn't a hundred year old vampire, he would still be too old for her.

"Pull over here."

"What?"

"Pull over here. I want to show you something."

"Oh, okay." Alice mumbled, pulling her car over to the side of the road. They stopped in front of the woods, the same place that Alice had met Elena those weeks ago when she had found out about the Salvatore's secret. Damon hopped out of the car right away and Alice did so slowly.

He started walking toward the woods and Alice followed behind apprehensively. The crunch of the leaves under her feet felt comforting, she didn't feel so frightened to be around him this time. She prayed that would stay.

Damon paused, waiting for Alice to catch up. He looked to the side, down at her. "Amelia was planning on killing you, you know."

It took everything Alice had not to stop in her tracks. Her heart almost stopped, she felt sick to her stomach. She wasn't going to throw up. Not again. Amelia was going to kill her? That didn't make sense. Amelia had only hated her, but was she capable of those type of feelings? To want to kill a person? Alice didn't think so, but then again she didn't know Amelia quite as well as Damon did.

"How?" Alice managed to choke out as they continued to step through the woods.

"Well, apparently she had to all planned that she'd poison your drink or something. She was rambling about it one day, it's not in her diaries, so don't bother looking. The bitch was dumb, but she wasn't stupid enough to write it down." He wiggled his eyebrows in emphasis. "From what I could tell, she was planning on doing it after the game. And I was ready for the bitch to die, so it was all just perfect timing. You may have thought you were in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in fact, you were supposed to be there."

"How am I supposed to believe you Damon?" Alice sighed. "I just, you've lied to me before. What if you're lying to me again, to cover up what you did so I didn't hate you anymore. What's it matter if I hate you? All you're doing it using me. We have no relationship."

Damon stopped and turned to look at her, his eyes flaring with annoyance. "Is it so hard for you to get through your mind that I might actually like you Alice? That we might be friends?"

"You always have a ulterior motive." She looked up at him, glaring and confident. "Name one reason you would do that."

"Love," Damon said seriously.

Alice looked horrified. Then unexpectedly, he laughed. "I'm only joking Blondie. Don't have a heart attack."

"You'd better be." Alice retorted, holding back her own grin. Damon loving her. Now that was rich. "But be serious with me for a moment Damon, why should I trust you?"

"Because I'm not giving you a reason not to." He shrugged, then lifted a hand to brush a piece of hair that had fallen over her face. Alice held her breath. "Believe it or not Alice, I actually wanted to protect you."

"Fine, I believe you." Alice practically shouted, dropping her arms to her sides, Damon's hand retracting and brushing the rest of her hair away from her shoulder. "But you only wanted to protect me because I _belong_ to you. Nobody hurts what's yours, am I right?"

Damon ignored her. His eyes seemed fixated on her. Alice looked at him, confused. "What?"

"The bite marks never healed." he mused, moving his fingers to brush over the scars of his fangs. "Not even after the blood."

His touch was cool against her skin, sending shivers down Alice's spine. Damon had never once touched her in that way, he had almost always been rough, taking her blood from her like it belonged to him. But he was delicate, like he didn't want to hurt her.

Damon's eyes looked down into hers again, "Let me fix that."

Alice didn't say anything, to wrapped up in the strangeness of the moment to respond. Before she knew what was going on, Damon had pressed his finger tip onto one of his fangs in his mouth.

"No!" she protested. "I'm not taking anymore of that shit! You saw what it did to me last time. That- that wasn't me. I wasn't me."

Damon laughed, "I'm not going to have you drink it." He brushed the rest of the hair out of the way before lightly pressing that finger against the scars. Alice almost jumped, his blood was so cold, not at all like how she imagined it. Damon slowly rubbed it in, hearing her heart beat in her chest loudly.

"Calm down, your heart rate is deafening."

But that didn't help, Alice only started to panic more. She didn't know what the blood would do to her. She didn't want to get high again or whatever it was. Alice wanted control of herself.

Damon used his other finger to wipe up the blood and then took a step back. "All gone."

Alice immediately calmed, she was herself. He had only healed the scar that she'd been trying to cover up for weeks. "Um, thanks."

"Don't mention it." Damon winked at her before starting to walk again deeper into the woods. Alice scrambled to keep up.

"Why are we out here?" Alice called out to him, as he was several paces ahead of her at that point. She pulled her jacket closer to her, feeling the breeze.

The crunch of Damon's boots covered up his response. Alice narrowed her eyes and tried to hurry to catch up. But Damon had stopped. She slowly approached him, confused.

"This is where Katherine is."

Alice paused, her heart stopping. Katherine.

Damon had only spoken of her once, a side mention or two here and there, but he'd never really given anything substantial. Alice had done some investigating on her own, she knew that Katherine was a vampire, the one who turned both Stefan and Damon in 1864, and she came to ultimate doom when the church was set afire. "You mean she was buried here?" Alice asked quietly.

"No, I mean this is where she is. Alive." Damon chuckled to himself. "Well, not alive. _Undead._"

"I thought you said she died in the fire. At least, that's what I overheard-"

"She didn't. She's alive. A spell trapped her in a tomb, along with the twenty-seven other vampires."

"Twenty, twenty-seven?" Alice choked, feeling herself get queasy and her head start to spin. Twenty-seven vampires? She could barely handle one. "And they're," she paused. "_undead?_"

"As far as I'm concerned, yes."

"Oh. Okay." It wasn't.

Alice started forward toward the ruins. Mossy bricks were stacked haphazardly, like someone had made a fool attempt at rebuilding the old church. Standing there, in the midst of so much heart break, Alice started to feel sick. Not sick to her stomach, like she was going to throw up like all the other times. Just sadness.

Overwhelming sadness.

"You loved her," the words seemed foreign on her lips. Damon loved someone. The thought was ridiculous.

"I do," Damon corrected easily, not looking at Alice, but simply straight ahead at what he must have thought was his love. Tortured. Both of them.

Alice swallowed, lowering her head.

There was so much in front of her. Damon, the truth. Everything. There was so much about his situation, _her own_ situation that she had never understood. Sure, Damon did murder Amelia in front of her. And in his own, twisted way he was protecting her, making sure that Alice wasn't hurt. But Alice didn't want to feel remorse for him, she didn't want to think that he was a good guy, who thought he was doing everything for those around him, even if it meant hurting them in the process.

Everything was so goddamn complicated. Everything that was once black, or white, was now grey. Everything was changing all around her, with every advancing step she took there was a little less of anything left to see. Just grey.

Damon had lived a hundred and fifty years knowing the love of his life was trapped, starving, tortured. He continued on, with her in the back of his mind, her in every little decision he ever made. It was romantic.

And tragic.

Alice saw through Katherine. Even from stories and evidence, any woman who drags along two men, _brothers_, has sadistic purposes. And Katherine was a vampire. And from what Alice knew of Damon, Katherine must have been much, much worse.

Katherine was a bitch.

"I'm sorry," Alice mumbled, looking up and tucking a loose strand of hair behind her hair.

Damon turned his head to look at her, stricken with surprise. He didn't have to say anything; his eyes said all that needed to be said. This was one of the first times Alice could read is expression, he was usually so coy, so guarded. But now, it was as if there was a small barrier knocked down between them.

For a moment, he was not Damon, _vampire and murderer_, but rather Damon, _heartbroken man_.

It would be so fitting for Alice to reach out, stroke his face with her thumb or to clasp her small hand around his. But that wasn't Alice. She was cold, even if she thought she wasn't. She was distant, she was harsh. She was no longer the sweet, innocent girl she used to be.

She was someone new.

She was standing in the middle of the woods, with a vampire. She wasn't sitting at home studying for history class with Divya or attending church every night with her father. She was spending the majority of her time fighting for her life, wrapped up in the turmoils of someone else's problems. Alice hardly recognized herself.

Damon turned away, his demeanor changing almost instantly. "Well, looks like you and I have a lot to do."

"What's that?" Alice asked.

"Well, if you're going to help me get Katherine out of the tomb, you're going to have to be prepared."

Alice didn't dare ask.

"We still need the crystal blondie," Damon didn't look at her, but turned around on his heels. "That's your job."

Alice paused, bit her lip. She really shouldn't be surprised in Damon's ability to shut off any and all emotion. Enough with the pain, back to the diabolical planning.

Alice wished she had that capability.

"You're going to Caroline's party tonight, aren't you?"

"Erm, I was thinking about it. How'd you know-"

"Please, Lockwood was practically begging you to go. Pathetic." Damon spat, starting to move back toward Alice's car. Alice scurried to keep up.

"That's bullshit, and you know it." Alice countered, catching up to him and narrowing her eyes. "Also, he isn't pathetic."

Damon looked over at her from the corner of his eye, smirking. "Sticking up for him?"

"Shut up," She groaned.

Damon just laughed.

That night, Alice was sitting in her car outside Caroline Forbes' house. She had checked herself in the dashboard mirror at least seven times in the three minutes she sat there. She kept fixing her hair, which she had purposely left curly, opening it made her look older and maybe even a little bit sexy.

Not only did she have to get on Bonnie's good side, but she had to, as Damon put it, 'attract some attention'. Not that Alice wanted to do so. She was the distraction.

She was to pull Bonnie aside, get her to somehow take off the necklace. As soon as she managed to do that, Alice was supposed to take it. Damon would then cause an even greater distraction, and Alice would sneak out the back with the necklace. Deliver it to Damon.

Alice did not like the plan. She knew it wouldn't work.

She knew Damon knew it wouldn't work. She also didn't know his angle. What was he playing at?

A knock on her window shook her from her thoughts. Alice's eyes quickly fell on Elena Gilbert. She was standing outside the car, waving her hand and looking distraught.

Elena moved for Alice to exit the car, "Hi Alice."

"Hello," Alice said carefully, watching the Gilbert girl. Elena may have been simply a nice girl, but she was also Stefan's girl. Which meant that they were against Damon. Which meant that Alice would never get her 'favor' done for Damon with Elena around.

Of course, Elena happened to be Bonnie's best friend, which made it all the much harder.

"Listen, Alice," Elena started, sighing. "I know that we haven't really had a great start, but I'd really like us to be friends." Her voice became quieter, "You and I, we're the only ones who know. I mean, we can sort of, I don't know, band together."

"Against what?" Alice asked as she shut her car door and locking it with her keys. She didn't mean to sound stupid, but Alice was interested. What exactly were they fighting against? Vampirism? Or Damon?

Elena sighed, "Look, I know you don't really like me. And for good reason, I totally accosted you that day in the woods. I was wrong to assume that Damon had you wrapped around his finger. I was wrong. But, I'm worried about you Alice, and I don't want you to get over your head. Damon is dangerous-"

"-my situation with Damon is none of your business." The words shocked Alice. Had they just escaped her mouth? Had she just defended Damon? No, she was explaining herself. Not Damon. Herself.

"Alice, I'm not trying to butt into you business-" Alice almost rolled her eyes, "-but I just want to let you know that I'm here. I can help you. I saw first hand what their world is like and I don't want you or anyone else mixed up in it."

Alice didn't like Elena's martyr tendencies. There was something about Elena Gilbert that irked Alice the wrong way. She was so self-righteous and set on helping everyone, even if that person didn't need help. Alice was a loner, as pathetic as it sounded. She didn't need help.

She tried to soften her voice, "I know that you have good intentions Elena, but I'm fine. Damon doesn't compel me, he never has. And we're not-" she paused, "-we're not _together_. I just-"

Why was she justifying herself to Elena Gilbert?

"-nothing." Alice finished, sighing and then turning to look at Elena again, who was standing next to her, wide-eyed and a look of pity on her face. Elena didn't believe her. "Thanks, but no thanks."

She brushed past the brunette, feeling a bit annoyed and little bit happy with herself.

The party was in full swing.

Caroline Forbes new how to throw a party. There were people everywhere, laughing, holding plastic cups and some with beer bottles. There were people dancing. Music was thumping. It was frustrating. Intoxicating. Alice felt lost.

There was hardly breathing room. Bodies pressed against her as she swerved through the crowd, eyes set out for Bonnie Bennett, the witch extraordinaire (according to Damon).

She finally spotted her in the corner, talking with Matt Donovan and, of course, Tyler Lockwood. Alice felt a flip in her stomach.

The drink table was near, Alice moved over toward it and pulled a bottle of beer from the ice bucket. She didn't drink, pretty much ever, and she didn't know which kinds were best. So she grabbed the one with the most interesting bottle.

"Here, let me." Matt Donovan was reaching for her bottle. Alice let him take it. He smiled at her and twisted off the top with his bare hands. "There you go."

"Thanks," Alice returned the smile, accepting the bottle back and take a swig. The beer was foul, she resisted the urge to spit it out all over Matt's shirt.

"Alice! I love your dress!" Bonnie was next to her now, smiling. Alice looked down at her outfit- a bohemian style blue dress that hung shorter than normal. On purpose, of course.

"Thanks Bonnie," Alice tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "It's so loud in here!"

"Oh, you'll get used to it." Bonnie laughed, then her face turned serious. "So after I told you that stuff earlier, you kind of bolted. I was hoping I didn't scare you away."

"Oh, no! That was not it. I had to get home to do something for my mom." Lie. "I really hope I didn't act like I was scared. Seriously Bonnie."

"Good," Bonnie laughed, pressing her hand to her chest and smiling. "I just," she laughed again, "Okay this is going to sound really lame but I've always thought you were really interesting, and I was hoping we could be friends."

That struck Alice. She blinked and almost blushed. Bonnie thought she was interesting? And actually _wanted_ to be her friend. It must have been some sort of joke, Alice scared away most people with her lack of conversation topics. Usually, when people got to know her, they were annoyed with her sarcastic comments and negativity. Because, to be honest, Alice was usually negative.

"Yeah, I'd like us to be friends too," Alice managed to say, then realizing she sounded like a total tool. Bonnie laughed and swung her arm through Alice's.

"Good, because I have so many things to tell you." Bonnie leaned closer, "Starting with the fact that Tyler will not shut up about you."

Alice happened to look over her shoulder at that moment. Tyler winked at her.

**Author's Note:** Meh, I read through it a few times, but I'm sure there are errors. Sorry, I hope they don't take away from the content. Not much going on here, but a sort of realization for Damon and Alice. More interesting things to follow!


	16. Author's Note

Hi everyone!

So recently I've been, a little, uninterested in this fic and the rest of mine as well. Unlike me other stories, Howl was my first really what I consider 'successful' fic, and it'll always hold a very special place in my heart. I'm constantly thinking up new ideas, new little plots for down the line of the story. The only problem is, I absolutely _hate_ some aspects of where I've taken the story. Not the general plotline or the Alice/Damon dynamic or Alice's personality. But pointless details, conversations, characters (Divya, etc). I'm disappointed in the way I played out the Amelia thing and know I can build it up more than just drop a bomb like I did. I just feel like if I were ever to continue posting this, I'd have to rewrite the entire story. Right now I've rewritten the first chapter and mapped out how I want things to go for the first four chapters. I'm not, per say, making a new story, but some small crucial details will be added. I'm changing things about Alice's family (her last name as well), her social life (goodbye Divya, hello fleshed out Amelia), and I want to interweave Tyler's story even more within Alice's. There are just some things that I'm disappointed in and I feel take away from the story. I started writing this so long ago and I'd like to think my writing has matured and grown since that day I was first inspired by Florence + The Machine. I know some people won't understand my choice, but I think it'll be for the best.

I'm terribly sorry for abandoning this fic for so long, and for doing it again as it may feel to you. I was rubbish at updating this past year. Ridiculously bad. So I'd like to make it up to you by improving the story, maybe even starting something new. I've had a few new characters brewing in my mind lately, separate from Alice's story.

Now I have some serious decisions to make. I'm not sure if I want to repost the story under a new title (very possible, seeing as I've got a few in mind) or the same one, or if I want to just simply replace these chapters with the new ones as I go. The response I've received on this story is mind-blowing, nothing I expected when I started. I suppose now I'm just looking to see what my readers think, what your opinion is on how I should play this out.

I'll make another 'chapter' detailing what my plans are once I've gotten this sorted out, but for now I'd just love to hear your thoughts.

Thanks for reading and sticking by me!

Grace


	17. Notice

The first chapter of the rewrite _Howling_ is now up. You can find it from my author's page.

Don't forget to read and review!


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